1917 EXTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 25 



Onion Eoot Maggot (Pegomyia ceparum). This is another arrival to report 

 this season. In Mr. Caesar's report of last year I note he states that he could 

 scarcely find a root maggot in this district. Unfortunately this is not the case in 

 1916. Great damage was wrought during the past season to the onion growers. 



Onion Tiirips {Thrips lahaci). The writer has seen thousands of these 

 insects in small areas during the past season. The characteristic white lines on 

 the leaf indicated that they were doing considerable damage. We have tried almost 

 all recommended remedies with indifferent success. They especially thrive in 

 tobacco decoction. The writer has taken an onion covered with thrips, immersed it 

 in the strong solution of tobacco for five minutes, then laid it in the sun and in a 

 few minutes the insects seemed invigorated by the experiment. 



Tobacco Worm (Phlegethontuis quinquemaculatiis). As in former years 

 this insect has cost the tobacco growers thousands of dollars in injury and labor 

 to pick the worms. Successful work is being done by some growers in having the 

 worms picked by ducks. The method of poisoning by attracting the moth to baits 

 has been found satisfactory. This season one grower has killed more than a half 

 bushel from three poisoned Jamestown plants (Datura stramonium). 



Greenhouse Insects. 



The chief greenhouse pests during the past season have been aphids, white 

 fly and cucumher beetle. Successful fumigation for the former two has been 

 carried on with nicofume, black leaf 40 and hydrocA'anic acid gas, but a great deal 

 of harm has been done by the beetle and methods of control are rather difficult. 

 Hand picking has been practiced with the greatest success, but is rather laborious. 



District Xo. 7, Xiagara District — William A. Ross. 



Orchard Insects. 



Comparatively few complaints were made this past season about the depreda- 

 tions of apple insects. This was largely due, I think, not to the scarcity of noxious 

 insects but to the fact that evils such as the codling worm and the plum curculio 

 were overshadowed by a greater evil — apple scab. 



Codling Moth (Carpocapsa pomonella). Side injury by this species was 

 more noticeable on apples this season than it w^as last year. 



Plum Curculio (Conotraclielm nenuphar). This insect was less injurious 

 in the Vineland district than it has been for some time past. 



The Green Apple Aphis (Aphis pomi). Early in the summer conditions 

 were very favorable for the rapid development of plant lice. The weather was 

 warm and there was a superabundance of food — succulent growth produced by the 

 heavy spring rains. The apple aphis took full advantage of these conditions and it 

 multiplied and spread at an alarming rate. During July the infestation was so 

 severe that in certain orchards which I had under observation all the young shoots 

 and watersprouls were covered with masses of green lice. The outbreak reached 

 its height about the end of July and then, thanks to the effects of the drought, it 

 commenced to decline very rapidly until by the last of August very few aphides 

 were present on the trees. 



San Jose Scale (Aspidiotus pemiciosus). Apart from noticing an unusual 

 quantity of scale-infested apples in certain Vineland orchards, I- made no observa- 

 tions on this pest. 



