474 



spraying. Early in the spring of 1913, unsprayed trees seemed likely 

 to suffer very severe injury, but they remained comparatively immune 

 from attack, probably owing to the exceptionally cool weather 

 in Jmie, a time when oviposition by this pest is at its height. 

 Tetraneura ulmisacculi, Pa;ch, (the EngHsh elm pouch gall) represents 

 an addition, probably of English origin, to the State fauna. Galls 

 were found on Ulmus campestris (the English elm) ; there was only 

 a scattered infestation and no serious injury resulted. Phenacoccus 

 acericola, King, (the false maple scale) was the cause of a number of 

 complaints, though it w^as distinctly less numerous than in recent 

 years. It was extremely abundant during late summer in one locality 

 near Mount Vernon ; from material collected there, a number of small 

 parasites and the beneficial Coccinellid, Hyperaspis signaia var. binotata, 

 were obtained. Specimens of Norway spruce infested by Pliysohermes 

 piceae, Schr., (the spruce bud scale) were received from Mount Vernon. 

 Towneyella liriodendri (the tulip tree scale) was unusually numerous 

 near New York. Several natural enemies were noticed preying upon 

 this Coccid. 



Forest tree pests : — Malacosoma disstria, Hbn. (the forest tent 

 caterpillar) was injurious on a more extended scale than in the preceding 

 year. The natural enemies observed include Tachinid and Sarcophagid 

 flies, a number of Hymenoptera, particularly Pimpla sp., and a large 

 Carabid beetle. The Longicorn, Cyllene robiniae, Forst. (the locust 

 borer) has caused serious damage, it being unusual to find any number 

 of black locust trees in the State uninfested ; as a rule, however, the 

 damage is confined largely to dying branches and the deformation of 

 old trees. At present, it appears unwise to plant the black locust in 

 localities where this borer is abundant and destructive. A general 

 adoption of the plan of cutting and destroying very badly infested 

 trees or parts of trees before the first of August, in order to prevent 

 the insects maturing, would probably result in a very satisfactory 

 control. The hibernating larvae may be destroyed by spraying with 

 a strong solution of kerosene emulsion, not later than the first of April, 

 great care being taken not to injure the trees. Some trees appear to 

 be more resistant to attack than others, and it has been suggested 

 that work on these lines might be attempted in the case of the black 

 locust. Mindarus abietinus, Koch, (the spruce aphid) was reported 

 on spruce ; in one case, some tips of affected balsams bore a number 

 of 15-spotted lady-beetles, Anatis ocellata, and practically no aphids, 

 indicating that natural enemies were checking the pest early. The 

 period of severe injury from Scolytus {Eccoptogaster) quadrispinosus 

 Say, (the hickory bark beetle) is believed to be largely passed. The 

 extensive plantings of white pine in recent years have given Pissodes 

 strobi (the white pine weevil) almost ideal conditions for multiplication 

 and there were numerous complaints of it. A practical test of the 

 value of hand collection showed that four collections could be made 

 at a cost of about five shillings per acre where the trees were three 

 feet high or less, and, as a result, no weevils were seen later. Other 

 forest pests which were studied were Melanophila fidvogxttata, Harr., 

 (the spotted hemlock borer), Aegeria (Sesia) rJiododendri, Bent., (the 

 rhododendron clear- wing), Corthylus punctatissimus, Zimm., (the pitted 

 ambrosia beetle) and Agrilus bilineatns, Web., (the two-lined chestnut 

 borer). Other injurious insects dealt with in the report are Cydia 



