144 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Drasteria elegans, and Cryptoliypnus ahhrevlatus. The first-named spe- 

 cies constituted 91 i^er cent of the wire worms observed and experimented 

 upon. The late larval, i)upal, «and early adult stages are best known, 

 the habits of the adults as regards egg-laying and the early larval con- 

 ditions being but scantily understood. 



The hud moth (pi). 57-66). — Detailed notes on the life history, ravages, 

 and treatment of Tmetocera ocellana, which is believed to have been 

 imported from Europe about 1840, and is considered the most injurious 

 insect and hardest to combat of any in the ISTew York orchards. Its 

 distribution, which now extends from JSTew England to Idaho and from 

 Canada to Maryland, is thought to be chiefly due to infested nursery 

 stock, although the moths are active flyers as well. The different stages 

 are described and the life history outlined. The half-grown brown 

 caterj)illars appear about the first of May, and pupation occurs in June. 

 This is followed by a speedy emergence of the adults, which immedi- 

 ately lay the eggs singly or in clusters on the leaves. Tlse ravages of 

 the caterpillars are greatest in July and August. Then follows hiber- 

 nation in silken cases, hidden in crevices of the bark, from September 

 until the next spring. Only one annual brood has been observed. 



Where nursery ti^ees are attacked, hand picking of the caterpillar 

 nests the latter j)art of May has proved effective. In the case of large 

 trees frequent and tliorough spraying with arsenicals is recommended, 

 at least two applications to be made before the flowers open, so that on 

 their emergence from winter quarters the caterpillars will find only 

 poisoned food. 



Insects injurious in 1895, O. Lugger {Minnesota Sta.Bul. iS^pp. 

 99-252, pis. 16, figs. 44). 



Synopsis. — This bulletin contains accounts of experiments witli infectious diseases 

 among chinch hugs, notes on migratory locusts, insects attacking potatoes, cab- 

 bages, currants, shade trees, and some other economic plants, and on the Hes- 

 sian fly, plant lice, and scale insects. 



The life history, and especially the hibernating habit, of chinch bugs 

 is briefly discussed. The use of ditches, and of kerosene for spraying 

 the insects and destroying them in the ditches both by contact and by 

 burning, and the cleaning up of places where they might find harbor 

 in winter are recommended as valuable methods for their destruction. 

 The action of fungus diseases on insects and the method of making 

 cultures for distribution among insect hordes are briefly outlined. The 

 fungus found most useful at the station in combating chinch bugs in 

 1895 was Isaria vexans, obtained from the white grub at the Cornell 

 Station. The fungus was propagated on an extensive scale in fruit 

 jars in a mixture of corn meal and beef broth. The disease was found 

 to be very effective in the infection boxes, and attacked insects other 

 than chinch bugs in the laboratory without having been introduced 

 upon them. The cultures were shaken \\\) with water and sprayed 

 upon wheat fields infested with chinch bugs. At first no eftect was 



