GREEN LEAF-WEEVIL. 
5 
some fresh tar is put on; but it is impossible to get rid of them in this 
way, as they swarm over several hundred acres, settling on fruit-trees, 
—Cherries, Plums, Apples, and Nuts,—besides nearly all other kinds 
of trees and bushes, such as Thorns, Sloes, and even Firs. They 
appear to live on the leaves of what trees they alight on, but prefer 
those that have been newly planted. They take advantage of any 
shelter, and prefer the south side, in the sun, and out of the cold 
winds.” 
On June 1st, Mr. Rayfield wrote further that he had succeeded in 
catching great numbers of the leaf-weevils “ but there yet remain 
huge quantities. We are most successful in catching them in the 
morning and evening, when it is dull and not too much wind. They 
collect in larger numbers in sheltered places, but when disturbed by a 
sudden jar, while the sun is shining brightly, and in a warm tempera¬ 
ture, some take to wing, and consequently avoid the tarred cloth held 
beneath.” A few days later—on June 4th—Mr. Rayfield reported that 
the beetles appeared to be diminishing in number, but, though he 
searched carefully, he could not make out where the eggs were laid, or 
the maggots lived. 
Very little indeed, as far as I am aware, is known of this stage of 
life of most of these Phyllobius beetles, and we need to know it, to 
forestall coming attack; but, looking at the fact of the maggots not 
being reported as found in the buds, and also that one kind of 
Phyllobius passes its maggot-state and changes to chrysalis in the 
ground, I should think it very likely that this species did so too. It is 
stated (see reference below),* with regard to the Phyllobius oblongus , a 
species which is especially mischievous to Espalier and dwarf trees, 
and in nurseries, and also to grafts, that towards the end of June the 
beetles disappear; and “ the females lay their eggs in the earth, 
where the maggots feed on the roots of various meadow-plants, and 
pass the winter, and appear thence as beetles in the following spring.” 
This matter would be well worth investigating with regard to the 
Kentish attack, and, by turning up sods in different places under 
some of the trees that were infested last year, there would be a good 
chance of finding the maggots. They might be expected to be whitish 
and legless, with a head furnished with jaws, and in general appear¬ 
ance, although much smaller, very like Otiorhynchus maggots. 
At present the only remedy for attack of the beetles appears to be 
shaking them down, taking care (as Mr. Rayfield notices) that this 
should be done at such times, and in such weather, as will cause the 
beetles to be in some degree torpid. In warm sunshine, in the middle 
of the day, the beetles will be very apt to escape; and this point is 
particularly dwelt on in the German directions for prevention. 
* ‘Die Pflanzenfeinde,’ von J. H. Kaltenbach, p. 180. 
