Milford chronicle., 1915-04-30
STRAWBERRY WEEVIL.

Although it cannot be said that any
certain method of control has ever been
found for the berry weevil, unless the
use of little chicks in the patch can be
called such a method, there are certain
facts in the life history of the insect and
in the experience of berry growers that
indicate that the damage might be less
ened if not wholly prevented.
Since it appears that the weevil has
been moving across the country in GER
tain directions, it is likely that ways may
be found to prevent its introduction in
localities where it is not now known.
Since the insect seems to live over win
ter partly in the leaves and wastes on the
ground, it is not unlikely that it reaches
new fields in the plants received from old
patches where it was abundant the past
year. This means that growers in unaf-
fected sections of the county would do
well to make careful inquiry as to the
source of the pants and the presence or
absence of the weevil around that source.
| Plants from any source should be looked
upon with suspicion until they have been
shown by inspection to be free from the
weevil.
Old weedy berry patches are apt to be
breeding and wintering places for the
weevil. Trashy hedgerows and low
grassy places near the berries are also
probable sources ofinfection. A cleanup
in the berry patch and its vicinity, if not
in the entire neighborhood, would help
much fn controlling the pest.
In regard to the attitude that should |
be assumed toward other plants that har- |
Dor the weevil, two things are to be noted. |
T. 1 1,oA -
ferred bv the weevil to the berry plant
and which can be poisoned or treated in
some other way, that plant should be
planted in abundance near the berry
fields. On the other hand, it would be
foolish to protect such plants unless they
are decidedly preferable to the weevil as
food plants. 1t is probable that the best
policy from the standpoint of a whole
would be to eradicate such
host plants and depend upon control
measures yet to be found for preventing
injury, at any rate, when the insects are
in the open fields rather than in thick
cts and brush land, they can be more
readily reached by spray mixtures, if
such mixtures are ever found to be help
full
Inasmuch as there is little evidence
hat the weevil in the adult stage eats
much plant material, there seems to be
no good prospect of using poison. tits,
not wise to use poison on bloom
ng plants. Although we do not know it
o be fact, it is possible that these in
ects either eat parts of the foliage of the {
)errv plants before they attack the buds {
II that they make use of other native
)lants for food purposes. When these I
acts have been determined we shall be in
better position to propose a spray treat :
nent.
It is now too late to plan an attack on a
he weevil this year, but it is just the right
me for growers to become better ac- q
TAINTED with it, and to look out for those I
in its behavior which in the c
ase of other insects have pointed the way ri
} control measures. What we need lust :,
ow is mo accurate knowledge concern
ig its life history in this county, and L
ntil we get this it will be unwise to spend c
luch time or money on spray treatments.
County Agent G