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\\t Cuintltaii |Iiitom0loi[ibt, 



Vol. XXXVII. 



LONDON, JANUARY, 1905. 



No. I 



PRACTICAL AND POPULAR ENTOMOLOGY.— No. I. 



The Pear-tree Psylla and How to Deal with It. 



by george e. fisher, burlington, ont. 



[At the last Annual Meetins^ of the Entomo!o.i;^ical Society it was decided that 

 a series of articles should be published monthly in this ma_e;-azine of a popular or 

 practical character, in order that in each issue there should be something- of 

 interest to the g-eneral reader in addition to the papers o'i a technli-al and purely 

 scientific character. It is Intended tliat the series shall cover a wide range, and 

 include articles which will be useful to beginners in entomolog-y, and also to the 

 fruit-grower, farmer and gardener, as well as to the many students and teachers 

 who are now interested In Nature-study. The following article is by Mr. Fisher, 

 who was for several years Inspector of Scale-insects for the Pro\lnce of Ontario, 

 and who has a practical and intimate knowledge of many injurious insects, and 

 of the most effective methods of dealing with them. — Ed. C. I*'.] 



Several instances of disastrous and even fatal effects to valuable pear 

 orchards from being attacked by the Psylla have coi^ie under my observa- 

 tion, as well as entirely satisfactory results from treating the trees. 



The life-history and habits of injurious insects must be accurately 

 determined before we can know just how to deal with them. A knowledge 

 of the habits of such insects will also often enable the farmer to so manage 

 his land and crops that the insects are placed under unfavourable and even 

 destructive conditions. 



The Psylla winters in the full-grown or perfect state, a minute 

 brick-red fly, about one-eighth of an inch in length. From the broad 

 head the body tapers to a point at the caudal extremity. There are two 

 pairs of large transparent wings, which when closed cover the body. 

 The thighs are abnormally developed, which enables it to jump a long 

 way ; hence the name " Pear-tree Flea-louse." In form this insect is the 

 counterpart of the Dog-day Harvest fly (Cicada) in miniature (Fig. i). 



