188 FORTT-SEVENTH REPORT ON THE StATE MvSEUM 



however, they were largely aided by other members of their 

 family, which were also unusually abundant, among which may 

 be named : Melanoplus femorattis, Circotettix verrucidosa, Cam- 

 nula pellucida, Dissosieira Carolina, and Chortophaga viri- 

 difasciata. 



Insect Defoliators of Shade and Fruit Trees. 



The elm-leaf beetle, Galerucella xanthomelwna (Schr.) * has been 

 very injurious in Dutchess county. During the month of 

 July the elms were covered with the beetles and lost 

 most of their foliage. The season has probably favored 

 their multiplication. Prof. J. B, Smith reports that trees 

 in New Brunswick, IST. J., suffered more than ever from 

 them, and in some cases not a leaf remained upon them by 

 the middle of July. In many places the ground was covered 

 with the fallen leaves as in autumn {Entomological News, iv, 

 1893, p. 229). 



The tussock caterpillar of the vaporer moth, Orgyia leucostigma 

 (Sm.-Abb.) proved a veritable plague in Albany during the month 

 of July. Fruit trees in gardens were badly eaten by it, while of 

 many of the elms and horse-ches.tnuts the foliage was entirely 

 destroyed. From present appearances a number of the trees 

 that suffered the most will die from the effect of their defolia- 

 tion. The attack was somewhat local : at times, a single isolated 

 tree in a row of elms would be attacked, and again, nearly all 

 the trees ranging on one side of a block. The explanation of this 

 may be, that in such instances, no care had been taken to remove 

 the egg-clusters the preceding year from the trunks and main 

 limbs of the trees or from beneath fence and wall copings 

 and sills of the houses — the importance of which, as the 

 chief protection against the ravages of this insect, has been 

 repeatedly urged upon our citizens. The application of bands of 

 loose cotton to the trunks of trees subject to its attack has been 

 largely resorted to, but it should be borne in mind that this will 

 only serve as a preventive when there are no egg-clusters or 

 caterpillars on the tree or when the tree is not exposed to the 

 dropping of hungry caterpillars from overhanging infested 

 branches. To trees already infested, either by the eggs or the 



* Oaleruca xanthomelcena of former reports. 



