104 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



becomes excessively abundant, as was the case about 1892 at 

 Ithaca, N. Y. The parent insect is angular in shape, nearly 

 three-eighths of an inch long, black, with conspicuous yellowish 

 green or yellowish longitudinal stripes. It is extremely rapid 

 in motion, secretive in habit and is rarely observed. The young 

 or nymphs are vermilion red and, like the adult, seek shelter. 

 The most characteristic and usually the only apparent evidences 

 are the oval, brown spots on the developing leaves. These are 

 caused by the bugs sucking- the green, succulent matter from 

 the interior of the leaf, the affected areas soon collapsing, turn- 

 ing brown and dying. These spots measure about a tenth of 

 an inch in diameter and may be exceedingly numerous. Occa- 

 sionally the injury is so serious as to result in the wilting and 

 death of many of the leaves. 



The eggs of this plant bug, deposited during late June and 

 early July in slits in the shoots, hatch early the following May 

 and the young attain full growth about the second week in 

 June. The adults are so agile and resistant to insecticides that 

 it is practically impossible to destroy them. Watching for 

 early signs of the young or nymphs, indicated by the occurrence 

 of discolored spots described above, and then promptly spraying 

 with a kerosene emulsion, the standard formula diluted with 

 about five parts of water, is the most promising method of 

 checking this insect. The treatment should be exceedingly 

 thorough and the apparatus adapted to underspraying in order 

 to catch as many of the pests as possible. Ordinarily, remedial 

 measures are not necessary. 



SHADE TREE PESTS 

 Spiny elm caterpillar ( E u vane s s a a n t i o p a Linn.) . 

 The large, spiny, black, red-spotted caterpillars of this butterfly 

 feed in colonics, usually near the tips of limbs, and frequently 

 defoliate branches and occasionally considerable portions of 

 trees. This insect was exceptionally abundant in New York 

 State, causing complaints from Long Island, throughout the 

 Hudson valley and from some other sections. The caterpillars 

 were quite numerous and injurious to Carolina poplars and 

 willows in particular, at East Hampton. Specimens of this 

 pest were received from Belleport, L. I., Amenia, Hillsdale, 

 Greenwich, Ballston Spa, Gloversville, Chestertown, Ticon- 

 deroga, Elmira, and Oneonta, accompanied by reports of more 



