872 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



ers are frequent!)' attacked, especially in squashes. The vines may also be injured, 

 long cavities being eaten up or down in the stem, sometimes beneath the surface of 

 the ground. The food plants of the insect include nearly all of the cultivated cucur- 

 bits. It is a species of American origin and is quite widely distributed throughout 

 the United States. A description is given of the various stages of the insect. The 

 moth is probably strictly nocturnal, flying mostly after midnight. Oviposition occurs 

 also at night. The eggs are laid, either singly or sometimes in clusters of from 3 to 8, 

 on flowers or flower buds or on young and tender parts of the plant. On hatching 

 the larvje work their way down through the stem or leaves, eating out channels. 

 When the eggs are laid on flower buds of squash the larvfe may remain in the plants 

 until fully grown. The older larvfe crawl about from one plant to another and 

 attack the fruits; a number of larvae may be found in a single muskmelon. Several 

 broods appear during the summer and fall until checked liy cold weather. The 

 length of the life cycle in the months of July and August is from 24 to 27 days. No 

 parasite was bred by the author from this insect. In preventing the injuries of 

 pickle worm to muskmelons it is well to remember that early muskmelons largely 

 escape injury on account of the late appearance of the moth. In general, a serioiis 

 attack may be expected only upon late muskmelons. After harvesting the j^lants 

 should be removed and destroyed, or if it is not done at that time, all plants and 

 rubbish should be raked up and burned in late fall or winter, in order to destroy the 

 pupfe of the insect in such situations. The use of Paris green, arsenate of lead, and 

 other arsenical poisons is of little value in combating this insect. The pickle worm 

 shows a decided preference for scjuash blossoms, and the most successful remedy for 

 the insect consists in planting rows of squashes through the melon fields and remov- 

 ing the squash Ijlossoms after the larva? of the insect begin to appear. In 1900 1,640 

 'arvte were captured in this way on an experimental plat, and in 1901 5,519 larvpe 

 were taken in the same manner. It is believed that by jjlanting squashes at different 

 times, so as to have a succession of flowers from the middle of June until the first of 

 August, and by carefully removing wilted squash blossoms from time to time, the 

 majority of the larva? of the pickle worm may thus be captured and destroyed. 



Asparagus beetles, K. S.\.i6 {Prometheus, 18 {1901), No. 635, pp. 166-171, figs. 

 3) . — Notes are given on the habits, life history, and means of combating the common 

 species of asi>aragus beetles, including Crioccris asparagi, C. 12-punctata, C. 14-inmc- 

 tatn, and C. o-punrtatd. 



Three orcliard pests, E. D. Sanderson {Delaware St a. Bid. 53, jjp. 10, figs. 11). — 

 The apple-bud borer {Stenago}>tiicha pyrkolana) injures the terminal shoots of young 

 apple trees in orchards and nursery stock, and attacks the tips of water sprouts on 

 old trees. A description is given of the larvfe and moth. The insect winters in a 

 larval condition in the terminal twigs. The moths appear about the middle of May, 

 another brood late in August, and probablj' another early in October. The whole 

 life cycle apparently occupies about 6 weeks, and it is believed there are 4 broods. 

 The worst injury is done ])y the second and third Ijroods, esjiecially in August. The 

 eggs are probably laid singly among the unfolding terminal leaves. Many of the 

 larvae are found to be parasitized. Arsenical sprays are of little value in combating 

 the insect. The most effective preventive remedy consists in removing infested 

 water sprouts and terminal twigs of orchard and nursery trees; all such prunings 

 should be gathered and burned in order to destroy the larvae. 



Fruit-tree bark borer {Euzophera semijuneralis) bores beneath the bark of apple, 

 pear, plum, and other fruit trees. It gains entrance in the cracks of the bark on the 

 trunk or at the stumps of pruned branches. In some cases the trees are badly 

 girdled and killed. The insect hibernates in cocoons beneath the bark. The adult 

 moths appear late in May or early in June, and a second brood of larvae appears in 

 September. A description of the insect. in its larval and adult conditions is given. 



