THE LESSER PE/.f^H BORER. 33 



l^each and apparent preference for this tree over others hitherto 

 chosen, Quintance proposed for it the name of the kisser peach borer, 

 in distinction from the better known i:)each borer Sanninoidea 

 exitiosa Sa_y. This name seems preferabk> to any of the others, and 

 more logical, becanse the peach is the inost important food plant 

 which it attacks at the pi-esent time. 



FOOD PLANTS; CHARACTER AND EXTENT OF INJURY. 



It has already been indicated that the lesser peach borer has more 

 than one food plant, a habit nsnal with the members of the family 

 to which it l)elongs. Bailey, in 1879, first found it on the cultiA'ated 

 plum. Two years later, in 1881, Kellicott found it attacking old plum 

 trees at Butfalo, X. Y., and also wild cherries {Prunus serotinus and 

 P. pennsi/Iranieus). In 1891 the same author stated that, in addi- 

 tion to its favorite food plant, it also attacked wild black and red 

 cherries at Columbus, Ohio, and very probably would be found on 

 the cultivated cherry. Again the following year (1892) he briefly 

 states that it attacks both cultivated and wild cherry in the same 

 locality of Ohio. In 1893 AVebster reared the insect from the 

 black-knot fungus, PlowrigJitia morJ)Os(i^ on cherry and plum. 

 Beutenmiiller (189G), three j'ears later, gave two additional food 

 plants, juneberry {Amelanchier canadensis) and the l)each plum 

 {Primus marifima). During the same 3'ear Webster (189(i) recorded 

 it on peach. Beutenmiiller (1897) then added chestnut, and in 

 1899 Lugger added wild plum, making the following known food 

 plants to date : Cultivated and wild plums and cherries, black-knot 

 fungus on plum and cherry, juneberry, beach plum, chestnut, and 

 peach. 



Recent records of this Bureau show that this borer has a decided 

 preference for peach. For instance, in (leorgia Avhere large plum 

 and peach orchards are grown side b}^ side, an examination of each 

 kind of tree showed that it was common on the latter and scarce on 

 the former. AVe have been unable to find it numerous on wild plum 

 and cherry in that State, nor have additional food plants been found. 

 In ^laryland we have found the larva in- a knotty growth on peach 

 some 5 feet above the ground. Mr. Vi\ F. Fiske, of this Bureau, 

 reared adults from girdled chestnut trees {Castanea dentata), at 

 Tryon, X. C, May 28, 1904. 



The insect is evidently increasing on peach, and at present in cer- 

 tain localities causes costly and, in the case of individual trees, fatal 

 injury. Bailey (1879) records a fatal attack on a plum tree in Xew 

 York; and as an examijle of such concentrated attacks on individ- 

 ual trees in orchards mention may be made of the case of a nearly 

 girdled 3-year-old Greensboro peach tree in Georgia, from the slender 



