344 Rkpokt of TiiK Department of Entomology of tile 



tified microscopic mounts were made of the specimens, which were 

 sent to Dr. W. E. Hinds, of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, 

 who has made a special study of this group of insects. He iden- 

 tified the insect as the pear thrips (Euthrips pyri Daniel), a de- 

 structive fruit pest, not known heretofore to occur in the eastern 

 states but which during recent years has attracted considerable 

 attention among fruitgrowers in California. 



ECONOMIC IMPOETAlsrCE. 



This insect has secured its reputation as a destructive pest from 

 its ruinous attacks in recent years, commencing about 1904, on 

 deciduous fruits in California. According to Foster and Jones 

 the pear thrips is at present the most important insect in the 

 region where it is established that growers of deciduous fruits 

 have to combat. During the period of 1904 to 1910 the thrips, 

 according to conservative estimates, caused losses in the Santa 

 Clara Valley alone amounting to the value of nearly $2,000,000. 

 The amount of damage done by the insect in this State during 

 the past seven years has been computed^ at seven millions of dol- 

 lars. And this estimate does not take into account the money 

 expended in spraying and other operations against the thrips. 



In describing conditions in California, Moulton states that 

 pears, prunes and cherries are most subject to injury, which he 

 explains is due to the spreading of their buds at the time when 

 the thrips are out in maximum numbers. Pears suffer mostly 

 during the early development of the buds, and the blossoms are 

 nearly all dead, at times of destructive outbreaks, befoTe the clus- 

 ters open. The fruits that set may be ill-shaped and badly 

 scabbed. The attacks of the thrips on cherries and prunes are 

 similarly destructive. The adult insect attacks the developing 

 buds which checks the natural growth, and blossom clusters most 

 seriously affected eventually fall. The deposition of eggs in the 

 fruit stems weakens the stems, causing the young fruit to drop. 

 iCal. Hort. Com.. Monthly Bui. 1:.'52. (1912.) 



