74 



THE REPORT OF THE 



[ No. 19 



Cutworms. (Noctua c-nigrnm, Peridroma saucia, and others.) Thete night-intru- 

 ders worked considerable damage in gardens and fields daring June and July, but the 

 spreading broadcast of handfuls of bran mash, poisoned with Paris green and sweetened 

 with a little sugar, generally put a stop to their depredations in gardens. The most 

 common forms sent in for identification were The "Variegated Cutworm (Peridromia sau- 

 cia), and The Spotted Cutworm, (Noctua c-nigrum). 



Asparagus Beetles. (Crioceris asparagi, Fig. 

 34, and 0. 12-punctatu8).— Mr. W. N. Hutt, B. S. 

 A,, of Southend, reports to me that 0. asparagi 

 appeared very early, just as the first young shoots 

 of asparagus were pushing through, and were 

 three or four times as numerous as last year. The 

 C. 12-punctata appeared two weeks later than 

 the common species, and were even more 

 numerous. The Department sent out a circular in 

 early spring to the newspapers of the Niagara 

 District, which explained charly the methods to 

 be adopted in combatting the asparagus beetles, 

 but it would seem as if many gardeners failed to pay much heed to the instructions. 



The westward progress of these beetles has not been very noticeable this year, for 

 although abundant around St. Catharines and Niagara, they have not been observed at 

 Grimsby or Winona. Mr. Johnston reports them, however, from Bartonville, which lies 

 between Winona and Hamilton. 



The Bumble Flower-Beetle (Euphoria inda). Fig. 35. This beetle was 

 very common in September and did considerable damage by eating holes in 

 pears and tomatoes. Although the beetles occur in sufficient numbers occasion- 

 ally to do considerable damage, yet this visitation is but periodical. Recent 

 observations at Washington show that this insect is injurious only in the 

 adult state, and that the grub feeds on manure and humus. 



The beetles hibernate, and eggs are laid in the early part of May, and 

 the grubs mature in about two months. The pupa stage lasts about 16 days. 

 The beetle is readily recognized by its triangular thorax, the yellowish-brown 

 wing-covers mottled with black markings, and the grayish pubescence on the under sur- 

 face of the body and on the legs and thorax. 



Fig 34. 



Fig .S5. 



The only practicable remedy is to collect these beetles. 



Farm Insects. 



The Hessian Fly (Cecidomyia destructor). The most serious insect pest of farm 

 crops during the past season was the Hessian Fly, which destroyed the wheat crop in 

 many sections. So far as we are acquainted with the conditions surrounding this pest, it 

 is safe to say that the most available remedy is Late Sowing. Wheat sown as late a» 

 the last week in September has been found unafiected, while that sown before was 

 affected. It is evident that farmers as a rule do not make any serious attempt to carry 

 out the recommendations of practical entomologists in the matter of late sowing, trap 

 crops, or uniformity in time of sowing. 



The writer urges that this question, a most important one for the Province, be taken 

 up by the Government, and extensive experiments be carried on in various sections to 

 determine the most favorable conditions for sowing to avoid attack. These conditions 

 have not yet been determined for Ontario. 



Among the other serious insects infesting farm crops this past season were Cutworms 

 which were abundant in root crops, and even in wheat fields (according to some corre- 

 spondents). The more common species were the Variegated Cutworm (Peridroma 

 saucia), the Spotted Cutworm (Noctua c-nigrum), and the Glassy Cutworm (Hadena 

 devastatrix). The use of poisoned bran mashes has been found very beneficial in those 

 cases where the remedy is practicable. A knowledge of the life history is often necessary 

 to know the best time to sow grain to escape the cutworm. 



