98 
RASPBERRY. 
The habit of life of these Weevils is to lay their eggs a little 
below the surface of the ground ; from these eggs there hatch legless, 
whitish, fleshy, and somewhat hairy maggots (see figure), with yellow 
or ochrey heads and jaws, by means of which they do great damage to 
the roots of the plants at which they are found. 
The maggots may be found in the ground, as in Vine borders, or 
at the roots of Raspberries for instance, from August onwards, and in 
the spring—that is about April—they turn to chrysalids in the ground 
not far from the surface, the depth probably varying with the kind of 
soil. From these chrysalids, which much resemble the beetles in 
shape, but have the limbs folded beneath them, and are whitish or 
yellowish, and without power of movement until fully developed into 
Weevils, change to this state soon takes place. 
In some cases attack may be checked by disturbing the soil in the 
winter, so as to turn the maggots out, or at least break up their 
shelters ; for though it does not hurt them to be frozen hard in their 
own chosen sheltering-places, exposure both to wet and cold will get 
rid of many. 
The Beetles, or Weevils, are of the shape and size figured at 1 
and 5. 0. sulcatus is of a dull black, the fore body granulated ; the 
wing-cases furrowed and spotted with pale hair-tufts. 0. picipes is 
smaller, and more of a reddish brown or clay colour, whence its 
name. These Weevils are wingless, which is an important matter in 
getting rid of them. They feed at night, and when out on the shoots 
of Vines, &c., if a light is suddenly flashed on them they drop to the 
ground, and for in-doors prevention—as in vineries—this plan may 
easily be carried out. 
With regard to out-of-door plants it is more difficult; but with 
regard to Raspberries, where they are arch-trained, the Beetles may be 
got rid of by sending men into the plantations at night, furnished with 
lanterns and light wooden trays smeared with tar. One man holds 
the tarred tray beneath the arch, and the other carrying the lantern 
gives the bush a smart tap, and thus the Weevils fall on the tar (which 
of course needs frequent renewing) and are caught and killed. This 
plan has been found to answer excellently on a large scale, but to 
carry out it is necessary that the plants should be arch-trained. 
Where this cannot be done, the plan mentioned by Mr. Beale of 
laying clods or anything under which the Weevils will shelter, and 
which thus can be used as traps, seems, though expensive, almost the 
only remedy practicable. 
