116 [Assembly, 



they feed. They are the larval forms of one of the Syrphus flies, 

 and as they render most excellent service in killing myriads of the 

 lice, their presence should always be welcomed. 



Another form fastened to some of the leaves, which may be the 

 " black flies " to which you refer, is the pupa of a lady-bug, Anaitis 

 l^-punctata Oliv. It is about one-tenth of an inch in diameter, 

 almost round, fastened by its narrower end, of a dark cream 

 color, with some paler markings on the back. The larvse of these 

 are slate-colored, and travel rapidly over the leaves, eagerly catching 

 and devouring the lice. A black species, common in England, is 

 known by the common name ot "nigger." The more numerous 

 that the lady-bugs and their larvse occur the fewer are the lice. 



As to the origin of the hop lice, the latest observations seem to 

 indicate that, in the spring the winged fly makes its appearance on 

 the upper leaves of the plants, upon the borders of the fields, and 

 commence bringing forth the young lice: in England this lias 

 been seen about the twenty-eighth of May. It is believed 

 that tiie winged flies at this season come from plum trees. But in 

 an instance where a free, clean hop plant was protected by a fine 

 muslin covering from all outside attack, it was found covered 

 thickly with the aphides (lice), which must have come up from the 

 ground, or from crevices in the sticks or roots where they may 

 have hibernated. (Miss Ormerod's Report of Observations on 

 Injurious Insects for the Year 1883, Appendix, p. 10-11.) 



The lice have been reported several inches under ground in the 

 autumn, after the removal of rhe crops, as if they had retired for 

 the winter, but the most diligent search has failed to find them in 

 the spring. The life-history of this insect is not fully known. 

 Thus we do not know why it is so rarely seen in June, and then 

 why about this time it appears so suddenly in immense numbers. 

 Its history is being more carefully studied, and when we have full 

 knowledge of it we shall probably be able to do much toward the 

 prevention of its ravages. [See note appended.] 



The present year promises to be unusually favorable for its 

 increase and destructiveness. Aphides have been remarkably 

 abundant thus far as the result of atmospheric conditions. I have 

 never known them so numerous upon apple trees, rose bushes, cur- 

 rants, and several other plants. Their injuries to hops might have 

 been predicted. 



