68 THE REPORT OF THE No. 1» 



The Bud-moth {Tmetocera ocellaiia) Fig. 46, and the Cigar-case Borer (Coleophora Fletcher - 

 ella) were serious pests in many orchards the past season, and it is my opinion that the latter 

 is becoming more injurious with each succeeding year. Last spring I saw an 

 orchard in which every tree was badly infested. In some instances, the 

 wintering cases literally covered portions of some of the smaller branches. 

 It is true that the orchard referred to was a neglected one, so far as insects 

 and fungi are concerned, but it is also true that both the Cigar-case Bearer „. ,^. „ , 



^ ' '^ Fig-. 46. Bud-niotli 



and the Bud-moth are difficult to treat successfully. Both insects are well ^i^* \arva. 



protected by their coverings, and experience shows that thoroughly careful spraying at the 

 right time is required to kill them. Fortunately for the orchardist, both begin active work 

 about the same time, hence both can be treated at the same time. 



I feel that more demonstration spraying in the infested orchards is necessary before the 

 fruit-growers will be convinced that these insects can be treated successfully. Seven or eight 

 years ago it was shown that two or three applications of Paris green (4 ounces to the barrel) 

 as soon as the cases became active in the spring, would hold the Case-bearers under control. 

 Also, that kerosene emulsion, diluted with nine parts of water, applied at the same time was 

 quite effective. 



Aphids were unusually abundant in many orchards. 



Insects Injurious to Shade Trees. 



The protection of shade trees from the attacks of boring insects is becoming quite a seri- 

 ous problem in many of our towns and cities. It is becoming apparent that greater watchful- 

 ness is required. The watchman, however, should have some acquaintance with the habits of 

 the insects to be watched, so that remedies may be taken at the right time. One of the duties 

 of the watchman, however, should be the protection of our insectivorous birds, for we must rely 

 to a great extent upon them for the destruction of the borers. The increase in number of 

 borers in recent years, I think, can be traced to the wanton destruction of so many of our use- 

 ful birds, and their protection at the present time is imperatively demanded. 



A shade tree pest, new to me, has arrived within the last two or three years. The birches 

 are the victims in this instance. I have watched their work in Guelph for two summers. I 

 thought at first that the birches were dying from the physiological causes which produce Stag- 

 Head, but I was wrong in my diagnosis. My attention was called this summer to dying 

 birches in Hamilton, where an examination of the dead limbs revealed the presence of a borer. 

 I was unable to get specimens of the adult, but the owner of the trees stated that he saw many 

 of them in early summer. On account of their small size and their active habits, he was unable 

 to make any captures. 



From a study of their work, 1 was able to identify them as the Bronzy-birch Beetle 

 {Agrilus ans.ius), one of the Buprestidae. This borer has been found working in London, 

 Buffalo, Detroit, Ann Arbor and Chicago. 



It would appear that the beetles begin work at the top and work downwards. For this 

 reason, the tree begins to die first at the top. The burrows made by the grubs are very irret^ular, 

 and have no definite direction. In most limbs which I examined I could trace their labyrin- 

 thine, net-work courses for considerable distance in the cortex and young wood, but often they 

 would run directly into the wood, and emerge again at the surface. In one case, I found a 

 straight tunnel in the heart-wood, but this occurred in a small twig not more than one-third of 

 an inch in diameter. 



The exit hole of the mature beetle is characteristic, I think. One side is straight, and the 

 other is curved to conform to the shape of the beetle. 



