CRANBERRY INSECTS. The study of insects injurious to the Cranberry, has not been prosecuted to so great an extent by entomologists, as liave insects injurious to other eitikorgs. This prob ably from the fact, that until wi a few years, the Cranberry has not been extensively cultivated, the principal dependence having been upon wild vines. In looking over the various data in rela tion to insects destructive to the Cranberry, we find, in the Transactions of the Wisconsin Hor ticultural Society, in which State the Cranberry is receiving much attention, a series of illustra tions, showing the more important insects, which we have reproduced. The descriptions are from the observations of Prof. A. L. Packard, Jr., of the United States Entomological Commission, who also prepared the cuts. The Cranberry Vine and Fire Worm, (Anch,y10 pera vaceiniana, Fig. 1,) hatch out from eggs that have remained on the leaves of the plants all winter.
They commence to feed on the ten der shoots of the vine, drawing the leaves together, with their web, for a shelter. If very numerous, they soon destroy the leaves and tender shoots, and give the bog a dark, red appearance, as though a fire had run over it ; hence the name Fire Worm. Having reached maturity, they spin up among the leaves on the vine, or on the ground. After remaining ten or thirteen days, in the pupa state, the moths hatch out and deposit their eggs on the leaves. This second brood hatches out in five or six days; it is this brood that is most destructive. They reach maturity for the most part, and go into the chrysalis state, before the twentieth of July, but may be found on the vines until September. The second brood of moths appears in July and August, and lay the eggs which hatch the follow ing spring. The only sure way to destroy them is to cover the bog.with water for twenty-four hours. The moth is of a dark, ash color, with small yellowish-brown bands on the fore wings, alternating with white, narrow bands. The apex of the wing is dark brown. The cut shows a, larva; b, pupa; c, moth; hair line natural size. The Cranberry Bud Weevil (Anthonomus suturalis, Fig.. 2,) is a very small, reddish-brown beetle, with a snout which is half as long as its body. The elbowed antennee are inserted just beyond the middle; the head is darker than the body, being brownish-black. The pro-thorax is a little darker than the wing covers, and covered sparsely with short, whitish hairs. The scutellum, at tlic base of the wing covers, is white. It is a line in length including beak. This weevil lays its eggs in tbe buds of the Cranberry; it selects a bud not quite ready to open, works its snout deep into the centre, and then deposits the egg in the hole made; going back to the stem, it cuts it off just below the bud, which falls to the ground and decays; a dull, whitish worm hatches out and feeds on the bud. Having attained its growth,
it changes to the pupa state, and the perfect beetle eats its way out from the bud. This brood of beetles may be found on the vines soon after the blossoms have disappeared. As they are never seen on marshes flooded in the winter, it is thought. that water will hold them in check. It is proper, however, here to state that, in using water on a marsh to destroy insects, care must be taken not to injure the vines, for when in a state of growth, they will not bear flooding for any -considerable length of thne. In the case of the insect in question, it is probable that winter ing will -be effectual, and then water is beneficial in preserving the vines. It must be remembered, however, that the Cranberry is not an aquatic plant. It will not grow in permanent water, It is not even partly aquatic, since its natural location is on the edges of low ridges and marshes, just between dry and wet. Its roots require stant moisture, but the plant will grow in any soil where moisture is present near the surface. To return to the subject of flooding, to kill insects, the water must be used with the greatest care during the period of growth, and not at all during the period of inflorescence. It is ble that thirty-six hours is the maximum, and twenty-four or thirty hours would be better, The Two-winged Cran. berry Gall Fly (Fig. 3) lays its eggs on the vines, from which are hatched out pink-colored gots, which raise tumors onthe leaves. Its habits are yet unknown. The cut shows at a, egg on vine; b, maggot ; c, pupa; d, fly ; e, antennee larged. The Red-striped Cranberry Worm (Fig. 4) is seen on the vines at the East about the last of September. It draws the leaves together by a few threads, and eats off the parenchyma from the upper side; sometimes it spins a tube of silk between two leaves. The worms are less than half an inch in length, long and slender, pale green, with six longitudinal, pale, reddish, broken, irregular lines. The parent is as yet unknown. The Yellow Cranberry Worm, (Tort?* vaceinii vorana, Fig. 5, ) is very 'destructive to the vines in New Jersey. It is of a pale, honey-yellow color, and the moth has yellow wings, mottled with deep ocherous spots. It ex pands half an inch. Fig.
5-tt, shows the larva en larged ; hair line natural size. Fig 5-b,shows chrys alides of Yellow Cran beriy Worm enlarged, side and front view ; hair line natural size. The great injury the various cran berry insecth accomplish, renders it necessary that every possible means be used in their destruction.