REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I917 II 



Potato aphis appeared in July on Long Island and became quite 

 abundant and very injurious in some fields of many counties, Lewis 

 being one of the last to report infestation. This insect breeds very 

 rapidly, has a cons'derable range of food plants and under certain 

 conditions is most destructive. It is usually checked by parasites, 

 which appears to have been the case in many localities, though 

 severe losses were reported for individual fields. The estimated loss 

 in Dutchess county was placed at 5 per cent. It was ranked as 

 a plague in Orleans county. It caused serious trouble for some large 

 growers in Ulster county and was very injurious in gardens, the 

 estimated decrease in the crop ranging from 10 to 75 per cent, with 

 total loss in isolated cases. Growers agree as to the beneficial results 

 following early and thorough spraying with a tobacco soap 

 preparation. 



Shade tree insects. The urgent necessity of producing large 

 crops the past season has resulted in more attention being given to 

 their insect enemies than to those occurring upon shade trees. It is 

 perhaps fortunate that the season was exceptionally favorable to the 

 growth and development of trees and consequently there was com- 

 paratively little damage by shade tree insects. 



Forest tree pests. The statements made above in relation to 

 shade trees apply in large measure to forest trees, though the latter 

 part of the season was marked by an unusual abundance of hickory 

 tussock moth caterpillars and some of their allies and a correspond- 

 ing anxiety as to the probabilities of injury, not only during the 

 present season but in the future. 



Greenhouse and garden pests. The injurious Florida fern 

 caterpillar, recorded in the last report as having become established 

 in a Lockport greenhouse, appears to have been exterminated. 

 Reports have been received of this insect having become established 

 in other portions of the country, and now that its destructive nature 

 is more fully appreciated the probabilities are that it will be effectually 

 excluded by the exercise of a moderate degree of care in preventing 

 the introduction of infested plants. 



The destructive chrysanthemum midge has been reported during 

 the year from a number of localities in the United States and Canada, 

 several being in Massachusetts and adjacent states. It has not, to 

 our knowledge, been found in New York, though as pointed out 

 earlier it is likely to be brought in with infested plants and when 

 thoroughly established is capable of causing serious damage. 



Another introduction, though not new to the continent, is the 

 establishment of the European earwig, Forficula auri- 



