108 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



THE CUEEANT ^GEEIAN. 



This wasp-like moth, ^geria ipuliformis Linn., has long been known. 



Indeed, I gave an illustrated description of it in 

 the annual report of this society for 1875, page 

 *143, and so will speak very briefly concerning it 

 on this occasion. The moth is blue, wasp-like, 

 with four narrow yellow cross lines on the 

 abdomen. The wings are mostly transparent and 

 marked with brown veins. There is a heavy outer brown margin of the 

 front and a narrow one of the back wings. A cross-line of the same color 

 marks the primary wings one third their length from the tip. The moths 

 are one half inch long and extend three fourths of an inch. The moths 

 appear in June. The larva or caterpillar is white, hairy, and has some 

 sixteen legs. It may be found in the stems from August to the following 

 May. In May and June the light brown pupa may also be found in the 

 hollow stalks. While these insects prefer the red currant, they attack and 

 destroy both the black currant and the gooseberry. The remedy which I 

 suggest, as it also applies to the other two borers yet to be destroyed, I 

 will detail fully. It is no mere theory with me. I have proved its excel- 

 lence and absolute efficacy and can assure all who give it a fair trial that it 

 will not bring disappointment. The bushes should be permitted to sprout 

 jpretty freely in view of the ravages of this and other borers. In early May, 

 before the leaves. too much obscure the stalks, and before the insects have 

 left their burrows, a careful examination should be made of all the stems. 

 In case any stalk is dead at tip, it should be cut off below the dead portion. 

 Special care should be taken to prune below the hollow cut by the borer, 

 else we may fail of our purpose to secure all the insects in the pruned 

 stems. These should all be burned. This work if carefully done, may be 

 so thorough, as I have actually demonstrated, that not a moth shall be left 

 to sow the seeds — or, better, lay the eggs — for future mischief. A few 

 years ago I knew two very fine iDlantations of currants. Both were 

 attacked by these currant segerians. One of them I treated as detailed 

 above, and today it is vigorous and very productive. The other was 

 uncared for, and in two years hardly a vestige remained, but all was 

 sacrificed to these hungry borers. 



AMEKICAN CUEEANT BOEEE. 



For the past two seasons we have found this beetle, Psenocerus supernat- 

 atus Say, in the larva or grub state in the hollow currant stalks. 

 The grubs are white, cylindrical, wrinkled, and footless. These 

 are found in April and May. Thus we find these grubs and the 

 SBgerian caterpillars in hollow stalks at the same time. This past 

 season we found these insects quite common, and certainly they 

 are no mean enemy in the currant orchard. In early May we 

 found the pupse in the hollow stalks, and in late May and June the pretty, 

 slim beetles came forth. These elegant little beetles vary exceedingly in 

 size. We have them ranging from less than one eighth of an inch long to 

 more than one quarter of an inch in length. The beetle is nearly cylin- 

 drical, the antennae two thirds as long as the body. The general color is 

 brown, which approaches to black on the posterior of the thorax and wing 

 covers. The antennae, a narrow front margin of the thorax, the base and 



