47 



Forest and shnde-tree insects (m^. IGA-IHQ). — An account is g-iven of 

 observations by the author in Auy:ust, ISOl), on h)cust trees in the 

 vicinity of the station, which were seriously injured by the ravages of 

 insect pests. 



The ro{;ioii lliiiK iillVcted, so faia.s I li.avc since obaeivcd, extends tliroiifjli l)o(l(lri<lj;e, 

 IliirriHoii, ami I'restoii C'onnties, from Grafton westward to near tlio Wet/el County 

 line, from I'nirmont tl'ron;;li Moin>nj;alia County to the Pennsylvania line, and from 

 riedinont south wanl thronj^h Tucker, Kandolph, tJpshnr, and Lewis Counties. The 

 tre«is are unaffected throii;;h Ritciiie and Wood Counties and alonj; the Ohio Kiver, 

 as far as was observed, the leaves beiiij^ fnish and yreen at the time tliey scenuid to 

 be dyinj; in the infested districts nientioued. This dead and scorched apitearanco of 

 the locust trees at a time of year when they are noted for their beautiful {rreeu foliage, 

 was, as far as can at present be learned, first noticed in Harrison County about the 

 year 188"), when a few scattering trees were observed to turn brown. The number of 

 trees thus attected rapidly increased each year until every tree, bush, and sprout of 

 this species looked as if it had been killed by fire. This trouble continued to spread 

 until at present at least one liftli of the State is affected. 



While over forty species of insects were found to be feeding on different jiarts of 

 the affected trees, one species, the locust hispa, appeared to be the principal cause 

 of the trouble. 



Notes are given on the locust hispa {Odontota dorsalis), 0. nervosa, 

 locust borer {CijUene [Cliitus\ rahiuuc), locust tree carjienter moth 

 {Xyleutcs rohinia'), locust sprout and twig borer, yellow locust midge 

 {Cecidonn/ia robinuv), six undetermined species of leaf miners, locust- 

 skipper butterlly {Endamus tityr us), and seven undetermined species of 

 locust leaf rollers and ])asters. A plate containing nine figures illus- 

 trates the article. 



An account is also given of observations by the author and of infor- 

 mation derived from other sources, regarding tiie causes of the death of 

 large tracts of black spruce {Picea mariaiia) timber iu West Virginia. 



The following summary is taken from the report : 



The spruce forests of West Virginia are estimated to exceed 500,000 acres. 



Isolated portions iu those forests are dead, possibly to the amount of 150,000 acres. 



While conducting an investigation iu one of these affected portions fCheat Moun- 

 tain region] the author observed that all of the characteristic dead trees there bore 

 abundant evidence of the attack of insects belonging to the family Scolytida'. 



A number of small trees were found partly dead ;ind dying, near where trees had 

 been cut last summer. 



Great numbers of bark ami timber beetles were found in the bark and sap wood of 

 these <lying trees both in the green and dead i)ortions. 



Three species of par.isites (Triijonodviuti, Jlclonis, and Spinffuriis, u. sp.) of these 

 beetles were plentiful, and were noticed flying around and on tlm bark of the infested 

 trees. Some of them weru observed with their ovijiositors inserted into the bark, 

 while others were entering and emerging from the burrows made by the beetles. Hero 

 evidence was obtained of the possibility of these beetles being destroyed or reduced 

 by natural means to such aii extent that they could no longer be destructive to trees. 



These same beetles were found to be very plentiful in the logs, stumps, and tops 

 of last siunmer's cuttings near these dying trees. 



There was very little evidence of the attack of these beetles on the stumjis and tops 

 of the 1887 cuttings, indicating that .it or near the time the timber ceased dying in 

 this locality these insects were not plentiful. 



