Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-04-25
Bri,tkleyuille, N. C.
SQuoSh-Vine BOrer.

$o' "oooAUHS " 4o"HlJ.
SIDNEY WELLER
BriukleyrHle ~ C.
Squash-vine Borer.
During the month of August, pumpkin and souasl
vines frequently found to wither suddenly ant
die to the root Sometimes the whole vine perishes
at other times, only one or more of the branches.
The cause of this premature death was made know,
in the New-England Farmer for August Odd 1928
1T was shown to be insect and then name O
EgertG cucurbt!e then given to it, with an &C
count of its habits and transformations These
now propose to describe anew and to suggest rem
edy for the disease which promises to be at least
partially, if not wholly successful
i The insect, in its larva state is a whtish grub
like caterpillar, which bores into the stem of the
vine near the ground, and destroys the interior The
hole by which it enters is commonly near the root
and may readily be discovered by the castings of the
grub around and beneath it. The insect is really
naked caterpillar, with small brown head Dlumr
body taperng towards each end, six small feet near
the head, and ten very short holders or stump feet
In pairs, under the rest of the body 1t grows to
the length of an inch, rather more boring in the
stem up and down, and sometimes into the root itself
Between the middle of August and the 1st of Sep
tember it leaves the vine, and burrows Just below
the surface of the ground, the root and there
lncloses itself III OblOng- oval cocoon, made of
fragments of the plant and grains of EARTH cement
ed and hded with gummy kind Of silk. Soon after
wards, having thrown off its skim which is crowded
into one end OF the it takes the chrysalis
form and remains in its COCOON, without further
change, through the winter. By digging in the
ground carefully, where vines have grown and per-
lshed the cocoons may often be found and, in this
way, numbers of the insects may be taken and des-
troyed in the chrysalis state
The chrysalis resembles that of the peachtree
borer 1t is nearly three quarters of an inch long
OF a shining brown color, with transverse rows of
minute teeth, pointing towards the TAIL across the
back. These little teeth enable the chrvsalis to
take firm hold of the durinr
In breaking open the end of it, Towards the end of
June or early in July it thus perforates the cocoon
and by the help of the above-named little teeth.
force its body nearly out, when the chrvsalis skin
bursts open winged insect extricates itself there
from, and crawls to the surface of the ground
The body of the insect in its winged state is little
more than half an inch long, sometimes considera-
bly, less The head and thorax are dark olive green
and the antenna, black. The hind body is tawny
orange, with row of four black spots unon It. and
an olve-colorcd or blackish band at the base. The
tore wings are olive green the hind wings trans
parent, veined, and fringed with black The hind
legs are thicky clothed with orange -colored hairs
on the outer side, with black hairs within. The
wings expand about one inch and an eighth
This little insect which is very conspicuous for its
Waspike form, its orangecolored and black spotted
hind body. and its enormous orange and black-hair
ed leggins, may be seen, during the month of July
and fore part of August, flying at midday about
squash vines and and then alightinc close to the
sporting in the sunshine. They can be easily taken
on the wing, with bag net and thus many may
be destroyed. In the course of few days, having
provided for her store of eggs, the female pershes
or tails prey to her enemies. AS soon the eggs
are Matched, the little grubs Immediately bore into
the stem OF the vines and begin their work of des
truction.
1t may have been observed that pumpkin and
squash vines sometimes strike root at the Joints and
thus establish connection with the SOIL both
and to fhoro how o4
readily, if not too much shaken by the wind Ad-
vantage may be taken of this fact to secure the vines
from being killed by the borers. Let the vines be
fastened firmly to the ground by forked sticks thrust
into the earth over the principal JOINTS and let lit
tie earth be drawn each joint thus secured u
They will soon take root at these places especially
1t watered now and then where they are fastened Il
When the joints have become firmly rooted the
vines will become independent of the original roots
and will continue to thrive even when their connec
ton Herewith has been interrupted bv the borer-i
In this way, have saved large vine although the
borers nearly cut off the stems from the main roots
1t will be well to examine the vines occasionally
and If any holes are found in them near the roots
carefully to lay these open by splitting the stem
and then to draw out otherwise destroy the bor-
ers. This may be done safely, if care has been |
taken beforehand to fasten down the Joints and
cause them to strike root
This insect, when it was named and described in |
the New England Farmer was supposed to he new |
to SCIENCE and it is confidently believed that its ha
bits and transformations had not before been ascer
tanned. In its winged form, however. it had been
described and figured, under the name of Melittia
satyimJormts in Huebner's outrage, work which |
has been accessible to only within the last year.
1t is possible that it may be identical with the SD;nr
tb'ols of Drury, and bombaormis of Cramer, which,
perhaps erroneously,) are stated to be natives of
African. Drurys name of tbialts if really intend
ed tor our insect being the Oldest must prevail over
all others. The insect is truly an Egeria, a genus
including also the borers of the peach tree and of
the currant bush and several other destructive in
sects of similar habits
In the course of % years since the publication of
my hrst communication on the Egeria eucubite, |
have had frequent opportunities of seeing the insect
IN all Its stages, in my own garden. | have taken
many specimens, which were in a much more perfect
condition than those from which my former descrin
on was drawn, and have thus been able to make
he present account far more accurate The histo-
y OF the insect is more fully detailed than in NV
ormer accounts of it and the suggestions for nro.
ectIng the vines from suffering by the depredatons
If the borer are entirely new and are the results of
NY experience during the last summer On these
several accounts it is my hope that the present ar
lcie may prove acceptable to you.
T. w. HARRIS.
Cambridge, Mass jan 25th, 1851.
deterioration OF Land by Improvement of Animals.
The thought has sometimes found audible express