Some Insects of the Apple and Their Control 1741 



Treatment. — These insects are difficult pests to combat when 

 once thev have acquired a taste for the young fruits. They are, 

 however, much less destructive in orchards that are well sprayed 

 each year and given careful attention in other respects. Observa- 

 tions indicate that the most satisfactory means of protecting the 

 crop is thorough spraying with arsenicals before blossoming and 

 after petals drop. Cultivation is unquestionably fatal to many of 

 the pupae in the ground. 



THE APPLE red BUGS 



These are small, brilliant red sucking insects that destroy or 

 deform young fruit. The j^nnctures of the tissues by the insects 



Fig. 136. A Red Bug and its Work ox Apples 



cause the apples to drop or shrivel upon the tree, or to become 

 pitted and misshapened. The eggs of the red bug are inserted in 

 the bark of the young wood and they hatch the following spring. 

 The nymphs begin to appear soon after the leaves of the fruit buds 

 open and hatching is practically completed by the time the blos- 

 soms open. The young nymphs feed upon the leaves until the fruit 

 sets, after which they attack the fruit. The first indications of 

 their presence is minute reddish spots on the terminal leaves which 

 are caused bv their feeding. 



Treatment. — The insect may be controlled by spraying just 

 before the blossoms open and again after the petals fall with 

 nicotine extract (Black Leaf 40), nsing one pint of the extract and 

 four pounds of soap to each 100 gallons of water. These treat- 



1 From Geneva Circular 25. 



