Xew York Agricultural ExrEEniEXT Station. 347 



in the foliage, as described in detail for the larvss. Deposition 

 of eggs is most active during the period which includes the open- 

 ing of the buds, blossoming and the dropping of blossoms and 

 calyces, but oviposition probably occurs throughout the life of 

 the adult although somewhat intermittently'' during its latter days. 



While the thrips are winged and are capable of sustained flight, 

 no concerted aerial excursions by any appreciable numbers of the 

 insects were observed. In walking beneath the trees an occasional 

 thrips dropped on the note-book and a few specimens were caught 

 on sheets of sticky fly-paper purposely placed to detect their move- 

 ments. Throughout their attacks on pears the thrips seemed to 

 remain close to the trees, passing from one bud to another l)y 

 creeping as the blossom and leaf clusters reached the desirable 

 stages of development. According to Moulton^ injuries to trees 

 may be so severe that they no longer afford suitable food, when 

 the thrips may migrate to other less affected orchards. Accord- 

 ing to him migration occurs during warm, clear weather, and the 

 thrips distribute themselves generally wherever conditions are 

 favorable for their sustenance and propagation. 



Egg. — The egg (Fig. 2) is a microscopic, whitish and some- 

 what elongated object which may be compared to a bean or kidney 

 in shape. The eggs are deposited in largest 

 numbers in the stems of blossoms and leaves. 

 The female thrips is equipped with a stout, 

 curved, saw-like ovipositor and by means of 

 this organ slits are cut in the tissues of the 

 plant for the reception of the eggs. The in- ___ _, 



cision is small but oviposition is frequently Eggs. 



so extensive, especially in sweet cherries, that 0a^<^^ enlarged) 

 the stems show plainly the effects of the wounds. During the 

 past season these injuries did not appear to have any appreciable 

 influence on either the quality or yield of fruit, but according 

 to Moulton so many incisions may be cut into a single stem 

 that it will weaken and turn yellow and the young fruit fall 



lU. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Ent. Bui. Xo. 80. p. 57. 



