54 REPORT OF No. 19 



the moth is richly decorated with gold and silver streaks on its wings. The 

 lime-sulphur treatment would no doubt clear the trees of these small cocoons 

 and put an end to the attack. 



Shade-tree Insects. 



The Tussock Moth, which has been so often referred to and described 

 in our Annual Reports, has continued its depredations on the shade trees 

 of Toronto and some other places. It seems extraordinary that effective 

 methods of control have not been adopted by those who have charge of the 

 city parks and avenues. The remedy is simple, easy and effective and should 

 ■ not be very costly. It is only necessary to have the white egg-masses re- 

 moved from the trees during the winter and destroyed by burning ; this will 

 get rid of the following season's crop of caterpillars. Trees once cleared, 

 unless their boughs interlace wtih others that have not been attended to, 

 will not be affected again for many years, as the female moths are wingless 

 and they cannot travel any distance. Any cocoons that do not bear an egg- 

 mass should not be interfered with as, if not empty, they contain either 

 ijseful parasites or the chrysalids of the harmless males. 



The Cottony Maple-scale (Pulvinaria innmnerabilis) which has been 

 excessively abundant on the shade trees in the streets of London for several 

 years, and has also spread to vines and creepers, has at length begun to 

 wane. During the past summer there was a very evident diminution in its 

 numbers, so much so that it was hardly noticeable in some parts of the city 

 and has ceased to excite alarm. 



It is reasonable to expect, from past experience, that the insect will not 

 be troublesome for some years to come, owing no doubt to the check it has 

 received from useful parasites and unfavorable atmospheric conditions. At 

 Guelph twigs were found this summer covered with the scales, but on ex- 

 amination it proved that not even one per cent, of them were alive; the rest 

 were all dead and in many cases there was a hole in the scale through which 

 the parasite had emerged. A similar condition was found in specimens sent 

 from St. Mary's and Fergus. 



The Black-banded Scale {Eiilccaniinn 7iigro fas datum, Perg.), called 

 also the Terrapin Scale from its turtle-like shape, was found in great abun- 

 dance on a maple tree near St. Catharines. Though not a common insect in 

 Canada, it might easily become an injurious pest as it also attacks plum, 

 peach, apple, linden, birch and several other trees. The affected tree was to 

 be cut down and burnt in order to prevent any danger of the spread of the 

 insect to the neighboring fruit orchards. 



Another attack upon Maples of an interesting character was reported 

 by Mr. Donald Fisher, of Vittoria, in September. The insect was the Maple- 

 leaf Cutter (Incurvaria acerifolirlla) which, in the caterpillar stage, cuts 

 out round pieces of the leaves and form.s with them a case in which it lives 

 and hides. When in the case it feeds upon the leaf all round its dwelling 

 and thus marks it with a series of blotches forming a circle on the surface 

 of the leaf ; when it has completed the circle in one place it moves to another 

 on the same leaf and repeats the operation, till the leaf is covered more or 

 less thickly with these round and conspicuous blotches. When the cater- 

 pillars are fully grown, the cases fall to the ground and the chrysalis stage 

 is entered upon. There they remain all winter beneath the trees, and in 

 the following May tbe tiny moths apDear, pretty creatures with long, narrow 

 pointed wings, the front pair steel-blue and the hinder ones smoky brown 

 with a purplish reflection ; on top of the head there is a tuft of bright orange 

 hairs. These insects are sometimes numerous enough to completely defoliate 



