426 Forty-sixth Report on the State Museum 



Govei'nnient, from time to time, for jjreveutiou of the spread of some 

 other newly introduced noxious pest, by stamping it out at its place of 

 introduction — quite as much within their province as is protection 

 from an invading army of soldiery, or from the fearful pestilence. 

 How insignificant were the losses inflicted by the Hessian soldiers, 

 compared to those which have resulted from the bringing hither of the 



Hessian fly, 



A Destructive Shade Tree Pest. 



A destructive borer of some of our most highly prized shade trees, 

 as the elm and maple, has within the last five years been brought to 

 notice in northern New Jersey, and in New York city and its 

 immediate vicinity. 



It is the larva of a rather large Bombj'cid moth, bearing the name of 

 Zei(zera pi/rina (Fabr.), closely allied in its habits and character to 

 our long-known borer of the locust, oak, and willow — Cossifs robhihe. 

 In Europe it has long been known as Zeuzera niScidi (hmn.) — the 

 specific name referring to the horse-chestnut on which it was probably 

 first observed, although, according to Kollar, "choosing that tree for 

 its abode less frequently, in the neighborhood of Vienna, than any of 

 the other trees that serve it for food, living chiefly in elms, walnut, 

 pear, and apple trees." 



The first example of it, so far as known, taken in this country (it is 

 another of our introduced European pests), Avas found in a spider's 

 web at Hoboken, N. J., in June, 1881 {PapUio, ii, 1882, p. 34;. 



Several examples of it were captured by collectors at electric lights 

 in the summer of 1887, at Newark, N. J. The following year nearly 

 fifty specimens were taken at Newark, also at electric lights. In 1880, 

 it was found at Arlington and at Orange in New Jersey, and also, 

 according to Mr. Pike {Insect Life, iv. p. 318), in Brooklyn, N. Y., 

 where it had attacked " nearly all the trees, mostly maples, fro.-n Carlton 

 avenue to the entrance of Prospect Park." In June of 1890, it was 

 reported as girdling and boring young maple trees within a few inches 

 of the ground, at Riverside Park, New York, causing them to break 

 and blow over with the wind; it had also attacked the elms and maples 

 in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, and along the whole length of the eastern 

 boulevard. The following year (1891) it had so multiplied in New 

 York city, that, according to Mr. Southwick, the entomologist of Cen- 

 tral Park, more than twenty species of trees and shrubs had been 

 attacked by it, and even vines, as Wistaria, had not escaped its polyph- 

 agous habit: thus far, evergreens and other strongly odorous trees, 

 as sassafras and ailanthus, seemed to be exempt from its ravages. Tavo 

 men Avere constantly employed during the month of May in collecting 



