6 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



PEAR-LEAF BLISTER-MITE. 



Eriophyes pt/ri Pgst. 

 (Figs. 7, S.) 



General Appearance. — The work of this mite makes its presence 

 easily distinguishable from all others. Pear leaves are so affected as 

 to produce reddish or dark brown spots which become darker with age 

 and may spread so as to entirely cover and destroy the foliage. On the 

 apple the galls remain the color of the leaves. The younger shoots suffer 

 most. The mites are very minute and can be seen 

 only with the aid of a microscope. The body is 

 elongated with roughened surface, transparent and 

 having but two pairs of legs near the head. 



Life History. — The mites pass the winter on the 

 trees under the bud scales and begin to work upon 

 the leaves as soon as they appear in the spring. The 

 eggs are deposited in holes bored into the under- 

 sides of the leaves. The work of the young after 

 hatching causes the galls or swellings. The destruc- 

 tiveness continues throughout the summer and until 

 the leaves begin to fall in winter. There are several 

 generations each year. 



Distribution. — Especially abundant in the San 

 Jna(|uiii and Sacramento valleys. 



Food Plants. — The pear and apple are seriously i^a^fbiisto-mue.^r^r 

 affected, the mites attacking the foliage as well as ophyes pyn 'pgst. 

 the stems of the leaves and fruit. On the foliage of 

 the pear the galls are made along the sides of the midribs of the leaves ; 

 on the apple at the base and along the margins of the leaves. Other 

 plants found as hosts are white beam tree, European mountain ash, wild 

 service berry, common cotoneaster. 



Control. — Same as for the common red or six-spotted spider or 

 mite. {Tetranychuf! himonilafus Ilarv.) 



THE CLOVER OR ALMOND MITE. 



Bryobia pratensis Garman. 



(Fig. 9.) 



General appearance. — The young mites are red, becoming bro^vn 

 when fully developed. Though very much smaller than a pinhead this 

 species is much larger than any of the connnon destructive mites in this 

 State. The eggs are very minute, so small as to be scarcely visible to 

 the naked eye; globular and red. 



Life History.— The eggs deposited in the fall hatch with the first 

 warm spring weather and the mites at once begin to work. Their de- 



