The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-06-15
POSSIBLE TO
COMBAT BERRY
ROOT WEEVIL
series of Experiments Financed
Rv Benton County Commits
sioners May Save Industry
FAN KILLBUGS BYFUMIGATION
p,of MeIander Reports Only Practi-
cal Method Yet Known to Com
bat InsidiOus Pest

Ae a result of series of expert
ments made possible by a recent ap-
rronriation of $500 by the commits
.;oners of this county, it now seems
rrobable that the ravages of the
strawberry root weevil can be checked
IN the Kennewick- -Richland district be-
fore any great damage has been done.
In many sections of the state and
Northwest the strawberry industry
has been practically destroyed by
veeyil, for which up to the present
,bere has been no known means of
control.
The experiments here have been
conducted by Profs. A. l.. Melander
and Yothers, of the state college, and
horticultural Inspector Luke Powell.
Prof. Melander has made the follow
inc report of his experiments:
Owing to the insidious way in
which it seizes hold of a strawberry
field, the most serious of the insect
PESTS of the strawberry is the root
veevil. Altho known in Washington
since 1904, the insect has already
gained foothold in Spokane, Walla
Walla, Benton, Yakima, Snohomish,
King, Pierce, Thurston and Clark
counties; in some of which places it
has already exterminated hundreds
Of acres Of plants. If this weevil is
found to exist in any field the most
care and diligence should be observed
to keep It from spreading and as far
as possible, destroy it entirely.
Plants infested with the root weevil
appear stunted and sickly. The fol-
lowing year they are nearly or quite
dead, showing at least many dead and
dry leaves and yielding readily to a
slight pull since most of their root
lets have been eaten thru by the wee
VII grubs. In the soil previous to
blossoming time can be found the
fleshy, curled whit grubs about one
fourth OF an inch in length, which
change to soft white pupae and later,
with the appearance of the first ber-
nes, further begin to transform to the
aout weevils. At first the weevils
are brown in color but in few days
Mey become black. They are round
Oooled, hard-shelled little beetles, less
"an a quarter Of an inch in length
sno because of their habit of feigning
ueatn, are difficult to discern among
VIC pants. When the last of the ber-
ss nave been picked the weevils be-
sm 70 migrate and beget another
eeueratlon. Inasmuch as female
seeVll produces some fifty eggs, the
uamage done by the new generation
san oe nifty times as great as that OBJ
',ised during the spring, altho the
p.snss infested do not show that wee
"'s are present until the following
sear. This brief recital of the in
s life history should empha-
e tne Importance of combating
e weevil before it migrates from
- oead patches of plants. IF treat
'a. Is delayed much beyond the end
= tne berry season the ravages Of
s insect are increased manifold s:a;i
.ermlnation - becomes Impossible
lnru the courtesy of the commits
s'Oners OF Benton county, the Wash
s'on State Experiment Station has
0een enabled to give attention to the
,On.rol Of this pest. DR.. A. y. Me-
entomologist of the expert
aent station, sums up this seas,n's
nndings as follows:
as the strawberry root weevil lives
.afgely under ground it must be con-
aolied by soil fumigants. Of the doz-
.us OF things tried, but one has been
practical success, and it is success
,sn oniy when properly applied. The
.0noWlng treatment can be recon-
a. enoed IT given Immediately after
.1e crop is off. First search out the
spo's In the rows where the weeyil
- as practically killed the plants. Next
~ serVe by closely looking about the
% usse OF the adjacent plants whether
lug weevil is present and how far it
NJ 'enos beyond the sickly plants.
-"en cover the infested part Of the