234 Agricultural ExPERiMtNT Station, Ithaca, N. T. 



caudal end. "VMien the insect is at rest, its two pairs of large 

 nearly transparent wings slope roof -like over tlie sides of the 

 body. The general color is crimson with broad black bands 

 across the abdomen. The legs have thickened femurs to aid the 

 insect in leaping. The sects are easily distinguished; in the male 

 (Fig. 5) the abdomen terminat(^ in a large trough-shaped seg- 

 ment from which project upvi'ard three narrow organs used in 

 copulation; the end of the abdomen of a female (Fig. 6) resembles 

 a bird's beak, and upper and a lower pointed plate coming 

 together and enclosing the egg-sheath between them. 



The Life History of the Insect. 



The life history and habits of every insect which becomes of 

 economic importance should be accurately determined in order to 

 ascertain, if possible, the stage when it can be most successfully 

 combated. Observations upon the habits of the two worst ene- 

 mies to fruit growers, the Plum Curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar 

 and the (vodlin Moth, Carpocapsa pomonella, revealed peculiar 

 habits which made it practicable to combat them with the cheap- 

 est and most easily applied of the insecticides — the arsenites. 

 The adult Plum Curculio's habit of feeding upon the fruit and foli- 

 age left it open to attack by the arsenical spray. The eggs of the 

 Codlin Moth were found in the apex of the forming fruit soon 

 after the blossoms had fallen; the fruit then being in an upright 

 position the arsenite lodges in the apex and is eaten by the newly 

 hatched larva when it attempts to enter the fruit. A knowledge 

 of the habits of injurious insects will also often enable the fanner 

 to so manage his land and crops that the insects are placed under 

 veiT unfavorable and often destructive conditions. Wheat sown 

 as late as is safe to do so is usually secure from the attacks of the 

 fall brood of the Hessian fly, Cecidomyia destructor. By harvest- 

 ing the first crop of clover for hay early in June, the bulk of the 

 first brood of the Clover-seed midge, Cecidomyia leguminicola, will 

 be destroyed and the second crop of seed be thus saved. Fall 

 plowing destroys many cut-worms and the tender pupae and 

 adiilt-^ of wire^Nonns which are hibernating. Many similar 

 instances might be given where a knowledge of the habits of inju- 



