THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 187 



The greatest danger arises from the possibiHty of their being distributed 

 by the use of infested clover seed. The insect passes the winter either in 

 the larval or pupal state, and in both of these conditions is often found 

 amongst clover seed, and if sown with the seed the insect is placed amid 

 conditions most favorable for its development. Seedsmen should carefully 

 examine their seed before offering it for sale, and farmers should exercise 

 similar caution before purchasing. The insects are very small, but are 

 much larger than the individual seeds, and if a small quantity of the clover 

 seed is passed through a fine sieve, these insects, if present, will be found 

 along Avith the coarser weed seeds, with which clover seed is so often 

 contaminated. 



The maple Egerian, known also as the legged maple borer, ^geria 

 acerni, has prevailed during the past year in the neighborhood of London 

 to an alarming extent, to the serious injury of some of our shade trees. 

 These insects, which pass the winter in the larval state under the bark of 

 the maple trees, change to chrysalids early in June, and about the middle 

 of that month they protrude themselves from the bark to the extent of 

 about half an inch, when in a very short time the mature insect escapes, 

 leaving the empty chrysalis behind it. This is a very pretty, clear-winged 

 moth, resembling a wasp, which, when its wings are spread, will measure 

 about three quarters of an inch across. The transparent wings are 

 adorned with bluish-black markings, the head is orange, the thorax yellow, 

 and the abdomen bluish-black, banded with golden yellow. The female 

 lays her eggs on the bark of the trees, preferring the red maple, Acer 

 ruhruvi. although the other varieties of maple are also more or less 

 affected. In a itw days small larvae hatch from the eggs, which penetrate 

 through the bark, and feed upon the inner portion and sap-wood of the 

 tree, making an irregular cavity, which is packed with the castings of the 

 larva, mixed with minute fragments of wood. When full grown, it is 

 about three quarters of an inch long, with a small yellow head and a white 

 or yellowish white body, which is darker on the hinder segments. Where 

 the larvje are safely lodged under the bark, no remedy but the knife will 

 reach them, but the moths may be prevented from laying their eggs by 

 coating the bark with a mixture of soap and strong solution of washing 

 soda, the mixture being made about the consistence of ordinary paint, and 

 applied to the trees in the middle of June. 



Within the past two or three years Paris green, mixed with water in 

 the proportion of a teaspoonful to a pailful of water, has been recom- 



