INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



445 



Distribution. — Throughout the peach growing sections of the Stair. 



Food Plants. — The larvae work upon the tender twigs of almond, 

 apricot, peach, plum and prune trees, peach trees being preferred! 

 They also attack the fruit of the apricot and peach. 



Control. — Though once considered a most serious pest, control 

 methods have been perfected which make it no longer a serious menace 

 to the peach grower. These consist of a thorough application of lime- 

 sulphur spray when the buds begin to swell. The commercial prepara- 



Fig. 453. — Larvae of the peach twig-borer, Anarsia 

 lineatella Zeller, and their work on apricots. Taken 

 at Sacramento in June. Top and middle pictures, 

 natural size; bottom, enlarged twice. (Original) 



tion, diluted one part to ten of water and applied as a strong spray 

 under a pressure of from 150 to 200 pounds, is found to give excellent 

 results. Mr. Chas. B. Weeks, Horticultural Commissioner of Tehama 

 County, has been using this formula for a number of years and limis 

 it satisfactory in every way. 



Natural Enemies. — In this State a mite, Pediculoides ventricosus, is 

 claimed to kill from seventy-five per cenl to ninety-five per cent of the 

 larvae, and an internal hymenopterous parasite, Hyperteles (Oxy- 

 morpha) lividus (Ashm.), also preys upon the immature stages. 315 



""Farmer's Bui. No. 80, U. S. Dept. Agric, p. L2, 1898. 



