546 Bbport of thb Entomologists of the 



THE PISTOL CASE-BEARER. 



Goleophora malivorella Riley. 

 History, Name and Appearance. 



Our attention was first called to this insect early last spring 

 when a large apple orchard near the Station grounds was ob- 

 served to be badly infested with it. Later in the season numer- 

 ous complaints came to the Station, especially from fruit-growers 

 residing in the western part of New York, stating that this insect 

 was doing serious damage in their apple orchards. 



As the outbreak appeared to be of sufficient extent to cause 

 serious loss to the fruit-growing interests of the state, and as the 

 insect is quite likely to become a well established pest of the 

 apple orchard, we have, in addition to studying the life-history of 

 the insect in the field as opportunity was afforded, conducted 

 experiments with a view to determining upon a practical method 

 of holding the insect in check. These observations and experi- 

 ments are briefly reviewed in the following pages. Minute de- 

 tails of the life-history and structural characteristics of the insect 

 are avoided herein as being of but little interest to the general 

 reader. 



Not a new offender. — Although this insect appeared in such un- 

 usual number's in some sections of the state last year that it was 

 thought by some to be a new pest to the apple, it proves to be one 

 of the insects which have been known for a number of years, but 

 which have not caused sufficient damage, excepting in certain 

 localities, to occasion more than a passing notice among fruit 

 growers. The earliest account of this insect which we have seen 

 shows that it was a serious pest in Erie county, Pennsylvania, in 

 1878. Since that time the species has been quite frequently men- 

 tioned by writers on economic entomology. 



The insect's name. — The scientific name of the insect, Coleophora 

 malivorella, was proposed in IST.S by Dr. Riley, who published a 

 technical description of the larva and the male and female moths 

 in the Annual Report of the United States Department of Agri- 



