Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


uncommon weed should be eradicated if found near the straw-
berry beds. It is a small light-colored plant that lies very flat
on the ground and has a milky juice.
 Control.-The writer has found a brood of young chickens
efficacious in ridding a small patch of strawberries of these
insects. Frequent watering with a heavy pressure from the
garden hose is also very effective. Like its relative, the chinch-
bug in St. Augustine grass, a great many are killed by heavy
dashing rains, consequently their numbers rapidly decrease with
the advent of the rainy season.
 On commercial beds insecticides must be used. Tobacco
extracts as applied to thrips are very effective. Kerosene emul-
sion will kill them but is likely to taint the fruit. Whatever is
used, strong pressure is necessary to drive the spray into the
crown of the vines where the insects are hidden.
 The larger Pamera bilobata and Paromius longulus also at-
tack strawberries. Control measures are the same.
 TARNISHED PLANT-BUG
 The tarnished plant-bug (fig. 79) causes much the same
type of injury as the Pamera. For control measures and de-
scription consult the section on celery insects, page 149.
 RED SPIDERS
 Red spiders are very injurious to strawberries and a severe
infestation will quickly put an end to bearing. The pests col-
lect chiefly on the under side of the leaves and on the young
fruit which they cause to turn brown and hard. For remedies
see under peas, page 175.
 THRIPS
 There are two species of thrips attacking strawberries in
Florida. The more common one is the orange-yellow Florida
flower-thrips (Frankliniella bispinosus projectss. The injury
it inflicts is very similar to that described under tomatoes (see
thrips, page 192) and the remedy is identical. In applying the
tobacco and soap solution it is best, in order to avoid tainting
the fruit, to spray the plants immediately after picking. The
odor and taste of the insecticide will disappear by the second
day which is the usual interval between pickings.
 The other species, the black garden-thrips (Leptothrips
mali) is not nearly as abundant. The method of control is the
same.