18 



THE REPOET OF THE 



No. 36 



The worst garden pests of the year were the Tarnished Plant-bug and the 

 larvae of Gortyna cataphracta, both of which seem to be increasing; they are exceed- 

 ingly difficult to check without constant and close attention, so that the production 

 of fine flowers in this neighbourhood is attended with more than the usual difficulty 

 and disappointment. No blossom buds seem to be immune from the attack of 

 the Tarnished Plant-bug and any stalk large enough to hold them affords home and 

 food for the larvse of Gortyna. Pasture fields, lawns and strawberry beds were 

 terribly injured by White Grubs (Lachnosterna) . These larvae have been increas- 

 ing rapidly during the last few years and will undoubtedly continue to do so as 

 long as favorable breeding grounds are provided for them. The constantly increas- 

 ing area of land left under sod, affords ideal conditions for the propagation of this 

 species and unless its natural enemies become more numerous than they are at 

 present, or our grass lands are more frequently broken up, the damage inflicted 

 by this grub will be very serious indeed. 



Mosquitoes were both abundant and attentive to their business all through 

 the summer, though most of them examined by me had upon their bodies several 

 parasitic mites (perhaps a species of Trom,l)idium) . I hope these had the ability 

 to make the mosquitoes as unhappy as the mosquitoes do us. Whatever may be the 

 final effect of the parasite upon its host, it certainly in the meantime causes no 

 discordant note to mar the mosquito's music, nor does it impair its appetite. 



Fig. 12 White-mark- 

 ed Tussock Moth, 

 male. 



Fig. 13. Larva of Tussock Moth. 



The Tussock Moth larva became fully developed and entered the pupal stage 

 much earlier than usual. On the 21st of July, I found the first completed cluster 

 of eggs and almost daily after that I found others. As in some places the Tussock 

 Moth is said to be double brooded, I gathered a considerable number of these early 

 egg clusters, but none of thern^ hatched. It is just possible, however, that these eggs 

 were not fertilized, for strange to say this season out of over one hundred chrysalids 

 kept by me not one male moth was produced, nor have I seen one anywhere at 

 large. A very large proportion of the larvae and cocoons gathered were parasitized 

 by Tachina Flies of several species, but Ichneumon flies were entirely absent. 

 Previous to this year species of Pim.pla were the common parasites on the Tussock 

 Moth; in my experience, outnumbering the Tachinids one hundred to one. 



It is generally supposed that the Tussock Moth cocoons are always found upon 

 the trunks and branches of trees, or on walls and similar places. I find, however, 

 that on certain small-leaved deciduous trees, such as Birch, the larvae will fasten a 

 leaf to its twig and spin its cocoon therein. These leaves hang on the trees all 

 through the winter and from them in many cases great numbers of caterpillars 

 were produced. These hanging leaves were overlooked by the people employed to 

 gather cocoons. Several times I found the larvae of Chrysopa feeding upon injured 

 and dying Tussock larvae, and have often found their pearl-like cocoons in the 

 cocoon of the Tussock Moth. 



