REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I917 57 



recorded as injuring carnation buds. A fungus, Sporotrichum 

 p o a e Peck, is frequently associated with the work of this mite in 

 both grass and carnations and it may be that the fungus is the more 

 important enemy of the plants, though it appears to depend for its 

 establishment largely upon the activity of the mite. Moderately 

 early cutting of grass would very probably assist in checking the 

 development of this mite and the associated fungus. 



GARDEN INSECTvS 



Rose beetle or rose chafer (Macrodactylus subspi- 

 nosus Fabr.). This insect is preeminently an inhabitant of 

 sandy and grassy areas and almost invariably outbreaks occur in 

 the immediate vicinity of such surroundings. The grubs live on 

 roots of grasses growing in sandy soil and the swarms of beetles 

 simply feed upon the nearest attractive vegetation, most frequently 

 grape vines and apple trees, beans, corn and other crops. There 

 have been more complaints of this insect than ever before, stimu- 

 lated, in part, probably, through the intensive campaign to secure 

 a maximum production. Most of the damage, as might be expected, 

 occurred in regions where there are cons'derable sandy areas, notably 

 Essex, Fulton, Suffolk, Warren and Washington count'es. 



The elimination of wild grassy areas in sandy sections is a most 

 effective though unfortunately not often a practical preventive 

 measure. The appearance of swarms of beetles on young plants, 

 such as com or beans, can hardly be otherwise than disastrous, owing 

 to the fact that it is impossible to kill the pests with poison before 

 they have destroyed most of the vegetation, and under field condi- 

 tions resort to hand picking or similar measures is impractical. It 

 has been shown that heavy applications of arsenate of lead, 5 to 10 

 pounds to 50 gallons of water, especially if glucose or some cheap 

 sweetening is added, is of considerable value not only in destroying 

 the beetles but in protecting the .plants from attack. This can 

 hardly be advised, however, for field crops, though it may be recom- 

 mended for vineyards and the more valuable apple trees. Orna- 

 mentals etc., frequently can be protected at very slight expense by 

 the use of ordinary mosquito netting. 



Black vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus Fabr.). 

 Grubs of this weevil were received in December from L. F. Strick- 

 land, agent of the State Department of Agriculture, accompanied 

 b}^ the statement that they had seriously injured primroses and 

 cyclamens in a large greenhouse belonging to Fred G. Lewis of 



