THE PLUM APHIS. 63 



CHAPTER XLIX. 



THE PLUM APHIS. 



(^Myzm sp.) 



Order: Hemiptera. Sub-order: Homoptera. Family: Aphididce. 



Tliis destructive little pest, wliicli is well known to 

 most orcbardists as doing great injury to the tender 

 shoots of plums of all kinds by sucking out the juices of 

 the tree, thus causing the wood to turn black as if 

 burned, is closely allied to the Peach Aphis, and 

 near Melbourne usually makes its appearance about 

 November. 



In the plate we have endeavoured to convey to 

 growers the almost exact colours and shape of the 

 insects themselves, those on the twig of plum being 

 slightly larger than the natural size, and on Fig. I. these 

 pests are to be seen at work on the tree. On the plate 

 (Fig. If.) is shown the larva of this aphid, and on 

 Figs. III. and VI. are illustrated other larval forms, all 

 of which drawings have been taken from the insects 

 themselves. 



The Plum Aphis then is one wdiich should be dealt 

 with promptly, as being in such vast numbers they soon 

 cause great damage to the trees, and should be at once 

 attended to, the young fruit growing on the portions of 

 trees attacked frequently prematurely falling to the 

 ground, and is therefore useless for the market. In the 

 warmer parts of the colony this pest becomes most 

 troul)lesome, but should a few hot winds set in the in- 

 sects are killed, and disappear like magic. This remark 

 will also apply to the Peach Aphis and many kindred 

 insects. 



