1906 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



109 



Fig. 41. Plant-lice. 



Fig. 42. Plant-lice. 



Plant Lice. (Figs. 41 and 42.) This class of injurious insects, which 

 are chiefly known from their attacks on shrubs and trees of various kinds, 

 as well as upon plants in vegetable gardens, are every year the cause of much 

 damage in flower gardens. Some seasons their injuries are very serious, the 

 growth of many flowering plants being stunted or completely destroyed. 

 There are a great many different kinds of plant lice, or aphids, in Canada, 

 but most of these have in general the same feeding habits. They are all 

 sucking insects and live solely on the juices which they extract from their 

 host plant. Some kinds feed on the under side of the foliage, others cluster 

 on the stems of plants, and others again are found attacking the roots. 

 Those which feed on the foliage often cause the leaves to curl and become 

 conspicuously distorted. 



One species in particular about which much enquiry is made in Ontario, 

 is the Snowball Plant-louse. Large clusters of these insects are found on 

 the under surface of the leaves, which soon become drawn up, giving a very 

 unsightly appearance to this beautiful and popular bush. 



When plant lice are first noticed the plants should be sprayed with kero- 

 sene emulsion, or whale oil soap. The dark kinds are the more difficult to 

 kill, and the solution used will have to be stronger. Whale oil soap, one 

 pound in four gallons of water, will be necessary. During the past year 

 some new methods of making kerosene emulsion have been devised by Mr. F. 

 T. Shutt, Chemist at the Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa. One of these 

 emulsions is worthy of notice here and is particularly applicable for immedi- 

 ate use in gardens and over small areas. This is made by mixing two ounces 

 of flour in a little scalding water, afterwards adding one quart of kerosene, 

 and then two gallons of water, stirring the whole thoroughly for a few min- 

 utes. 



/ 



Fig. 43. Blister-beetles. 



Blister Beetles, Epicauta pennsylvanica, De G., (Fig. 43), Epicauta 

 vittata, Fab., (Fig. 44), and Macrohasis unicolor, Kirby. These active, soft- 

 bodied, beetles, from their habit of suddenly appearing in large numbers, 

 often do much damage in gardens before their presence is detected. They 



