New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 355 



darker than female, posterior femora black except at tips, wings 

 somewhat clearer; abdomen more slender than female and wholly 

 black. (Plate XXVIII, Fig. 1.) 



NUMRER OF BROODS AND PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 



By noting the life history as previously given it will be ob- 

 served that, in western New York, this species has but one brood 

 annually. As the adult insects do not come out of the ground 

 until the latter part of April or early in May and they and their 

 progeny have disappeared by the first of July, the active life of 

 the insect is at most of only about two and a half months dura- 

 tion, the remainder of the time being spent in the snug retreats 

 under ground. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



This species seems to be peculiarly free from parasitic or pre- 

 daceous insect enemies. In none of the literature relating to the 

 insect is there an instance given of the presence of a parasite or 

 the work of a predaceous species. Although a large field of rasp- 

 berries badly infested with this insect was carefully watched last 

 season, and several hundred of the larvae brought to the insectary 

 and confined in breeding cages, but one case of parasitism was 

 found. Yet it is true that this insect sometimes suddenly disap- 

 pears, after doing serious injury in a community for 3 or 4 

 consecutive seasons, as if suddenly checked by some parasite in- 

 sect or other enemy. 



METHODS OF COMBATING. 



There are three principal methods of combating this insect, as 

 follows: Jarring or brushing from the bushes, fall cultivating and 

 the application of an insecticide either dry or as a spray. 



Jarring or brushing from the brushes. — While studying this in- 

 sect in the field it was noticed that the larvse could be easily 

 shaken from the bushes either by a sudden blow to the canes or by 

 otherwise jarring the leaves. A heavy branch from which the 

 leaves and twigs have not been removed or a pine switch with b 



