April, 'OS] JOURNAL OP ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 149 



was exceptionally late. Warm weather finally came on very rapidly 

 and all vegetation grew at such a rate that insects appeared unable to 

 inflict material damage in many cases, consequently there has been a 

 remarkable dearth of injurious outbreaks, particularly in the early 

 part of the year and presumably largely due to this cause. 



The San Jose scale, Aspidiotus perniciosus Comst., continues to be 

 one of our most serious insect pests. It is gratifying to state that 

 a number of our more progressive fruit growers at least have learned 

 to control this insect in a very satisfactory manner. There is a strong 

 tendency on the part of many to adhere to a lime-sulphur wash rather 

 than to make extensive treatments with mineral oils or preparations 

 of the same, despite the fact that some of these last named materials 

 have been pushed vigorously by certain commercial agencies. The 

 backward season had a very pronounced effect on the development of 

 the grape root worm, Fidia viticida Walsh. Normally, this species 

 transforms to the pupa from about June 1st to the 20th, the full grown 

 larvjE being near the surface some days at least before pupation occurs. 

 Observations made July 10 resulted in finding only a few recently 

 transformed pup^e on light soil, whereas under normal conditions the 

 beetles would have appeared two or three weeks earlier. There has 

 been on the whole a distinct improvement in conditions over those ob- 

 taining a few years past, though it should be borne in mind that there 

 is always danger of serious injury by this pest in restricted areas. 

 The apple leaf folder, Ancylus nuheculana Clem, is normally rare in 

 New York state orchards. It was so abundant in Cattaraugus County 

 last September as to lead to the report that it was doing considerable 

 damage to apple trees in that vicinity. 



Our attention was called the last of July to the unusual abundance 

 of a comparatively unknown form, namely, Epizeuxis denticidaris 

 Harvey. This species was so abundant at Palenville, Greene County, 

 N. Y., that hundreds were observed upon the walls of the kitchen and 

 they were also very numerous about the barn and other out-buildings. 

 It is very probable, considering that the larva of the closely related 

 E. lubricalis Geyer feeds upon grass, that the caterpillar of this 

 species may have similar habits, though it is possible that it may sub- 

 sist upon dried vegetation, as has been recorded of E. aemula Hiibn. 

 The evidence at hand would seem to favor the latter conclusion, as 

 the moths were very abundant in buildings where there was presum- 

 ably a goodly supply of dried provender upon which the caterpillars 

 could subsist. Should such prove to be the case, this species should be 

 classed with the much better known clover-hay worm, Hypsopygia 

 costalis Fab. as a species liable to injure stored hay. 



