The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-05-06
STRAWBERRY WEEV|L
SERIOUS MENACE
horticultural Inspector Powell
Advises Growers to Plow
Up the Infested Patches

The strawberry root weevil (Otior-
nyncus ovatus) has made its appear
ance in the strawberry beds of Ken
newick and Richland. Prof. A. L.
Lovett, of the Oregon Agricultural
college, in speaking of this pest says:
The strawberry root weevil is pre-
eminently the most serious of the
berry pests in the state of Oregon"
In order that our strawberry growers
may get as full knowledge of this
pest as it is possible it will be time
well spent for them to read very care
fully the detailed account of this pest
and how it works.
Description
The adult weevil is snout beetle
about v of an inch long. The color
Of the insect varies from a dull red
dish brown when freshly emerged to
almost pitch black. The surface is
roughly pitted and slightly shiny. The
beak is short, broad and emarginate
at the tip; there is distinct pune
ture between the eyes. The beetle is
without wings and travels very slow
ly. Another name for it is the grave
yard bug or the sleepy weevil.
The larvae are white or pinkish and
when full grown are * Of an inch
long.
The pupa is white at first but turns
to q dark brown finally.
Seasonal History
The strawberry weevil is single
brooded. The adult beetles may re-
main alive and active for more than
year. This complexities matters,
somewhat as there is for short time
two generations Of beetles present.
These beetles are busily engaged in
feeding on the foliage of strawberry
and other host plants, Raging and
stripping it. The insects pass the
winter in both the adult and grub
stage. The beetles hibernate in all
conceivable places, very often enter
dwellings and prove a source Of no
little worry to the housewife.
The first pupa occur in April, for
this locality, and during the month Of
May the majority Of the beetles
emerge. In about two weeks these
beetles lay their first eggs. These
are deposited promiscuously through
the soil from one-haf to three-quar-
tiers of an inch below the soil, ex-
tending from close around the crown
to the radius Of half a foot. Later
as the soil dries out the eggs are de-
posted about the central growing
whorl of the crown. The eggs begin
to hatch in nine days, and unlike
many insects, will hatch in dry soil.
The young grubs are very hardy and
can live for So hours in the dry soil
without food.
Feeding
The grubs feed on the entire root
system of the plant, the smaller ones
usually on the fiberous rootlets. AS
they grow older and the plant dies
they 60 up and burrow through the
main tap root. These usually take on
a pinkish color. A seriously infected
plant may be kicked out with the foot
or easily pulled out, and often the
soil around the rootlets will contain
a number of the little white larvae
and pupa.
Distribution
Irrigation bitches are q ready
means of distribution, buying and
setting out plants from infested dis
tricts.
Control Measures
Crop rotation. Taking from one to
two crops of berries from the patch
and turning them under. This will
necessitate setting out new beds ev-
cry year. To those who have beds
now affected with this pest, I would
suggest that as soon as you get the
present crop of berries picked that
you turn under the bed and put It
into corn, alfalfa or potatoes, or bet
ter still, consult Mr.. Lampson as to
the best crop to put in at this time Of
the year.
LUKE POWELL,