REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I917 43 



determined by the enlarged and characteristically swollen brown 

 dead aphids, frequently with a circular hole in the empty skin. 

 Lady beetles and their grubs are so well known that further descrip- 

 tion is unnecessary. The presence of considerable numbers of 

 aphids killed by parasites or an abundance of lady beetles and 

 their grubs is an indication that natural enemies are likely to reduce 

 the infestation very shortly, especially if the weather is moderately 

 warm to hot. Recognition of this condition is of practical 

 importance, because it has a bearing upon the advisability of spray- 

 ing, since applications for the destruction of the insects are of 

 comparatively little service if most of them have been killed or 

 are being rapidly destroyed by beneficial insects. 



Remedial measures. The experience of last season has demon- 

 strated the efficacy of the nicotine soap preparation, using three- 

 quarters of a pint (40 per cent nicotine) to 100 gallons of water, 

 to which are added 6 to 8 pounds of any cheap soap. The one 

 essential is to spray thoroughly and particularly from the under 

 side so as to drench all the insects. Early treatment repeated several 

 times at three day intervals will prevent serious damage. It is 

 important to do this early and thus prevent a serious check to the 

 growing plants. 



NOTES FOR THE YEAR 



There have been comparatively few complaints of injury to trees 

 by leaf-eating insects. The cool, wet conditions prevailing in spring 

 and early summer promoted plant growth and were unfavorable 

 to the development of insect life. There were many localities where 

 the elm leaf beetle, Galerucella luteola Mull., though 

 seriously injurious in earlier years, hardly damaged the trees. 



The comparative scarcity of early leaf feeders was a marked 

 contrast to the unusual abundance of late-appearing caterpillars, 

 such as' the hickory tussock moth, Halisidota caryae Harr., 

 the oak tussock caterpillar, H. maculata Harr., and the pale 

 tussock caterpillar, H. tessellaris Sm. and Abb., these being 

 particularly numerous and causing considerable apprehension, not 

 only in regard to immediate injuries but also as to developments 

 in the future. The fall web worm, Hyphantria textor 

 Harr., was generally present and somewhat destructive. The 

 abundance of other late leaf feeders on fruit trees is noticed below. 

 There are also notes under appropriate heads relating to some of 

 the more injurious species. 



