BLACKBERRY CONTROL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1939, Page 3

BLACKBERRY CONTROL

RAVAGES OF BRONZE BEETLES. REPORT OF CAWTHRON INSTITUTE. A report on the control of blackberry by bronze beetles has been issued by Dr D. Miller, of the Cawthron Institute, who states: With regard to blackberry, almost every mail lately has brought specimens of the common bronze beetle for identification. It appears that this insect is particular active this season in its depredations upon the foliage .of blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, and ornamental and fruit trees. The beetle is a small, shining, brown, hard-bodied insect that has a characteristic habit of leaping when disturbed on the plant. Its method of attack is to eat holes from the leaf surface, so that in severe cases the foliage appears to have been punctured by a charge of shot. The hopes held by correspondents this is a remedy for the blackberry problem have, unfortunately, no foundation. The beetle may at times visibly check the weed, but its period of activity is limited to a few weeks each year, and it is not always constant in the severity of its attacks. Further, it could hardly be encouraged because of its depredations upon plants of agricultural value. Our attempt to control blackberry by means of imported inSects had to be given up, as there was too great a danger to related plants of economic value being attacked. Practically the whole world was combed for insects restricted to blackberry, but the only one that was considered worth trying had to be finally abandoned. The reason for this was- mainly due to the fact that although the insect’s grub confined itself to boring in the stems of blackberry the adult insect showed a decided trend as a defoliator of apple trees.