M'28 AXNTAI, lU-.I'OHTS OF DF.PAT^TM KXT OK AClMCrLTURE. 



lihpharipa scutellofa^ another tachinid [);iiasitr wliich kills j!;ipsy- 

 moth c'at('rj)illars at the time of or just after i)ui)ation, was collected 

 more ahundantiy than last year. Over Go sainj)le collections from 

 representative localities covering the entire infested area were found 

 to be parasitized to a greater or less extent. In one of these collec- 

 tions the entire lot was destroyed by this insect. 



A very striking case of i>arasitisni was found in large collections 

 of gii)sy-motli pupa^ made in the vicinity of Franklin, N. II. In a 

 single lot of 7,000 inipae 94 ])er cent were destroyed by this agency. 

 The insect is now distributed over the greater part of the infested 

 area, and even greater results are anticipated from its presence. 



Improxements have been made in the methods of breeding and 

 colonizing Apa?}teles tnelanoHcelin. During the year 22 colonics, 

 containing 11,000 individuals, were liberated. During midsummer 

 the cocoons of this parasite were found in large numbers in locations 

 where it had been previously colonized, and the results from this 

 species during the past year have been very encouraging. Appar- 

 ently this insect has not 3'^et increased to the point of giving maxi- 

 mum efficiency. CaJosoma syeophanta is more abundant this year 

 than usual, and manj' reports have been received from citizens living 

 in the infested area confirming the value of this beetle as an enemy to 

 the gipsy moth. The wilt disease has been reported from more 

 localities than during the previous year. 



The area infested bj^ the brown-tail moth has been reduced during 

 the past year, but several bad colonies have been found in the eastern 

 part of Massachusetts and in New Hampshire. A number of cases of 

 severe defoliation to orchard trees resulted and for the first time for 

 several years the moths vrere taken in small numbers at electric arc 

 lights. 



Parasitism of this insect by Zygoljothria nidicola was about one- 

 half that recorded during the previous year, althougii there was 

 considerable local variation in the abundance of this parasite. 



Parasitism of the brown-tail moth by Apanteles lacteicolor and 

 Meteorus versicolor was considerably less than in past years. In a 

 single bad colony of the browm-tail moth at Burlington, Mass., the 

 fungus disease Empttsa aulkae was present and caused the de- 

 struction of large numbers of caterpillars. 



A study of the parasitism of native caterpillars has been continued 

 throughout the year and much valual>le information secured. Dur- 

 ing the winter, however, unusually high mortalit_y resulted to the ma- 

 terial in hibernation. This work has emphasized the value of Comp- 

 silura as a parasite on many of our common caterpillars. 



Quarantine work. — During the year 33,125 shipments have been 

 inspected and certified and 331 permits have been issued for material 

 to be shipped from the gipsy-moth infested area to points outside. 

 The greater part of the shipments consisted of quarry products, nur- 

 sery stock, and forest products. Evergreens, such as Christmas trees 

 and miscellaneous material, were also included. More than twice as 

 many Christmas trees and evergreens were shipped than during the 

 previous year. 



On Julj^ 3, 1920, notification was received that a severe colony of 

 the gipsy moth had been found in Somerville, N. J., and a few days 

 following the insect was reported in Brooklyn, N. Y. Both of these 



