VINE INSECTS (OF. rigne, Fr. vigne, from Lat. tines, vine, fem. sg. of yin( lit, relating to wine, from vinum. wine). About forty species of insects affecting grapes have been recorded in Europe. and a much greater number occur in the 1"nited States. The grapevine phylloxera (see PHYLLOXERA) is the most important of these and has a cosmopolitan distribution. The grapevine fidia viticida) is a brownish beetle about a quarter of an inch in length, some what resembling the rose-chafer, and feeds upon the leaves: the larva- live at the roots of the vine and cheek the growth of the plant. Serious damage has been done by this insect in the Cen tral States and in New York State. The yellow ish eggs are laid in large batches in crevices in the bark of old wood, usually well above ground, and the larvre on hatching penetrate the cracks in the soil near the base of the plant. They feed at first upon the fibrosis roots near the point of entrance, but soon reach the larger roots and gnaw off the bark, sometimes penetrating to a depth of three feet below the surface of the ground. They reach full growth in August and construct earthen in which .they remain until June of the following year. when they change to pupw. The adult beetles emerge two weeks after pupation. The beetles may be killed by applying an arsenical spray to the vines, while the larva- are destroyed by the underground in jection of bisulphide of carbon or by washing in a strong kerosene emulsion.
The grape cane-borer A mph/rents bicandat us) is a botriehid beetle, common in the Central United States, which damages grape canes by boring small holes into them. The eggs are laid in and the larva., which also bore in the canes, develop during summer, transforming to pups and beetles in the fall. the beetles remain ing in the burrows until the following year. This insect also breeds in other perennial plants. Prompt destruction of all infested wood is recommended.
The grapevine flea-beetle (Ila!Bea chalybeu) is a stout metallic-blue beetle about one-fifth of an inch long, which has enlarged hind thighs. It appears in the early spring, feeds upon the buds, and later deposits its orange eggs in clus ters on the lower surface of the young leaves. upon which the lame, which are shining brown, feed, entirely defoliating the plants when nu merous. They reach full growth in a month,
enter the ground for transformation, and appear in July as beetles, which hibernate and lay eggs in the spring. Spraying with arsenites and jar ring the adults upon cloth soaked in kerosene are recommended remedies.
The grape leaf-folder (Desmia macOtitis) is a widely distributed, small, shining, black moth, with wings bordered with white and marked with white spots. It lays its eggs upon grape leaves, which the active greenish larva folds to gether with silk, and skeletonizes them. There are two or three generations each summer, the last generation hibernating in the leaves. The destruction of the folded leaves with the early generation is recommended. Probably the lame of more than fifty species. including ten hawk moths (SphingidT), feed upon the foliage. Climbing cutworms are frequently (lest native to the buds and foliage of vines in northern New York and in the raisin-growing districts of Cali fornia. See CUTWORM.
The oTape-berry moth (Ent/en/is polyehrosis) is a European species which has been intro duced into the United States. ft is a small, slate-colored moth, which lays its eggs on the young berries, into which the whitish larva bur rows. Infested berries shrivel. become discolored. and seem to be attacked by the black rot. Men full-grown, the larva, then one-third of an inch long, changes to a chrysalis within a folded leaf, where it passes t he winter. Ragging of grapes and burning of fallen leaves in the autumn are suggested remedies.
The grapevine leaf-hopper (Typh(ocyba ritifex), which is also sometimes known as grape vine thrips (see .Ttlines). occurs upon the vines in June, frequently in great numbers, increasing through the summer and passing the winter as adults, laying its eggs upon the lower sides of the leaves the following Burning the fallen leaves other rubbish and spraying with kerosene emulsion are popular remedies. Tarred palwr shields carried close to the vines which are jarred are also used; the insects Ily against the tarred surface. Consult Alarlatt. The Prin cipal Insect Enemies of the Grape (Department of Agriculture, Washington, 1898),