FARM INSECTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 331 



SECOND ANNUAL REPORT ON THE INJURIOUS AND BENE- 

 FICIAL INSECTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



BY A. S. PACKARD, JR., M. D. 



The past year has been marked by the unusual abundance of 

 two insects which have preyed on our field crops. Both are 

 comparatively strangers in this State, and illustrate the law that 

 new enemies of our crops make their appearance from year to 

 year most unexpectedly, and do a large amount of damage 

 before their presence has been generally known or often even 

 suspected. And this probably will always continue to be the 

 case. While the newly settled parts of the country are peculiarly 

 exposed to the ravages of insects, after the lapse of a few years 

 the equilibrium seems in a measure to be restored, and average 

 crops can be raised. But still, here in New England, where the 

 country has been settled over two hundred years, we are occa- 

 sionally disturbed by the abnormal increase in the numbers of 

 kinds of insects usually not abundant. This is primarily due 

 to variations in our seasons, but from the scarcity of insectivo- 

 rous birds which fail to come to our aid in these times of extrem- 

 ity, the insects remain in undiminished numbers and accomplish 

 their work of devastation without let or hindrance. This will 

 probably always be the case, so long as the most obvious 

 principles of economic entomology remain unapplied. 



In England, where the arable land has been cultivated for over 

 a thousand years, Mr. Curtis, the author of " Farm Insects," 

 complains that in economic entomology " every season brings 

 forth fresh subjects for investigation, and although this arises in 

 a great measure from the neglect which has attended this im- 

 portant department of natural history, it seems as if a cycle 

 were revolving, which exhibits species previously unobserved, at 

 intervals of greater or less extent ; and whether regular or 

 irregular cannot be determined for want of data ; rare and un- 

 noticed species, no doubt, become abundant or scarce by changes 

 of temperature ; certain and continued currents of air, a want 

 of food in their accustomed localities, and similar phenomena 

 may also change the regular course and geographical distribu- 

 tion of insects for a season ; so that enemies to the cultivator 

 may suddenly become great annoyances in latitudes where they 

 had been previously unknown ; and may there remain until a 



