84 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



The buffalo tree hoper (Ceresa bubalus), which was fully treated in 

 the preceding report, continued its injury in apple orchards throughout 

 the state during both seasons. The stings of this insect are sometimes 

 mistaken by the misinformed for scale insects, although the resemblance 

 is very slight indeed. Up to the present time there have been no 

 anthentic cases of the occurence of the San Jose scale (Aspidiotus per- 

 niciosiis) within the borders of Nebraska, although during 1908 there 

 were reports that this insect was present in certain orchards in south- 

 eastern Nebraska. Investigation by the Entomologist and his assistant 

 invariably showed such reports to be groundless. The oyster-shell bark 

 louse (Lepidosaphes ulmi), however, seems increasing in abundance in 

 many portions of the state, and repeated instances of real injury to 

 the infested trees have come under our observation during the past two 

 years. This sometimes extends to the infestation of the fruit itself as 

 is shown on Plate 5. Cases of injury have been reported from Cuming, 

 Colfax, Douglas, Cass, Saunders, Lancaster, York and Hamilton counties. 

 This scale was treated very fully in last year's report. It may be added 

 that a number of instances of the value of the ladybird beetle Chi- 

 locoi'us bivuluerus as a natural enemy of this scale have come to our 

 attention during the past two years also. This valuable beetle is illus- 

 trated on Plate 6. 



The cherry aphis (Mjzas cerasi) which was so abundant during 

 1907, continued in great abundance during 1908, but almost entirely 

 disappeared during 1909. In 1908 it attacked principally the plum trees 

 and to a lesser extent the cherry, killing the leaves of these fruit trees 

 very extensively and in some cases causing the trees themselves to die. 

 The injury was general over the state but more conspicuous in central 

 and western Nebraska, from Nuckolls, Webster, Kearney and Howard 

 counties west to Frontier and Hitchcock counties. There were also re- 

 ports from Richardson, Otoe, Antelope and Madison counties. The 

 peach aphis (Myzus persicae) was reported as injuring trees in Gage 

 county in 1908, but was apparently not injurious at all in 1909. Both 

 these fruit tree aphids are discussed in the State Board of Agriculture 

 report for 1908, pages 320-321. 



One of the most important horticultural pests of the state is the 

 peach-tree borer (S.'immsia exitosa) which seems of recent years to be 

 gaining in abundance and destructiveness in southeastern Nebraska. 

 Instances of serious injury from Richardson, Lancaster, Douglas and 

 Platte counties have come to our notice, some trees being found which 

 harbored over thirty of the larvae of this insect and many in a dead or 

 dying condition. This pest will be found discussed in detail in the follow- 

 ing pages. Another insect of prime interest to Nebraska horticulturalists 

 which was not discussed last year and which is treated further on in 

 this paper is the fruit-tree bark-beetle (Scoljtus nigulosus), which has 

 shown itself to be a serious pest of all our fruit trees, but conspicuously 

 of the cherry. The apple-tree borer (Clirysobotliris i'emorata) was also 

 locally injurious in various parts of the state. 



