10 



Among insects noticeable for their abundance this year, though not especially 

 injurious. I may mention the Clreen grape- vino Sphinx (Darapta myron, Cramer) 



s^sasL, 



Fig. 9. 



■^r-, o,:,^-)'<«|l^';^"!*:.^^ 



Fig. 10. 



which is very numerous on the foliage of 

 the ^i'irginia creeper. Fig. 8 represents 

 the i^oth and Fig. 9 the caterpillai:. 

 Many of the caterpillars, however, are 



attacked by its well known parasite, Fig. 10, and it is not 



likely that the insect will gain too much headway. 



Another gnipo insect is much more injurious both to the 

 vine and the Virginia creeper. I refer to the grape vine Flea- 

 beetle {Graptodera cJialybea, Illig) which is a serious pest in 

 many parts of the country. This insect passes the winter in 

 the perfect state, and in the spring the beetle attacks the buds 

 of the vine as soon as they begin to swell, thus destroying the future foliage and fruit in 

 their embryo condition. It is a small, polished steel-blue beetle, varying in colour to 

 green and purple, about three-twentieths of an inch in 

 length, dark green beneath, with brownish-black antennuj and 

 feet. It is called a " flea-beetle " from its immensely developed 

 thighs (Fig. 11) which enable it to jump long distances in 

 the same manner as the familiar insect fiom which it takes 

 its name. After a ^QVf weeks the first crop of beetles dis- 

 appears, and is soon followed by colonies of little worms (Fig. 

 12, much magnified) dark-brown or blackish in colour, which 

 speedily make their presence known by riddling the leaves 

 with small holes. (Fig. 13.) These attain their full growth 

 in July, descend to the earth to assume the pupa state, and 

 after a week or two come out as perfect beetles. They do the 

 greatest amount of injury in early spring, but in the summer 

 also they are frequently very injurious by entirely stripping 

 I am informed by the Rev. W. J. Mackenzie that the vines in 

 the neighbourhood of Milton have been so seriously injured by this insect, especially in 

 the spring, that they have produced very little fruit during the last three years. The 

 most ell'ective remedies, so far as known, are, first, to remove and burn all fallen leaves 

 and other rubbish about the vines in the autumn, and secondly, to syringe the canes and 

 young foliage with a weak mixture of Paris green and water in early spring. Strong 

 soap suds or powdered hellebore might be employed against the larvte in the summer 

 time, when the use of Paris green would be dangerous. 



Turning from the garden to the field, I find that " Silver-top " is still very common 

 in meadows. At the recent meeting of Economic Entomologists in Rochester, N. Y., 

 Mr. H. Osborn, of the Iowa Experiment Stations, gave an account of his method of dealing 



Fig. 11. 



the vine of its foliage. 



