207 



;mil (lie, and upon splittinjj tluMu (>i»tii lit' found a larva which had hurrowed from 

 the tfiiiiiual bud toward the Itase of the branch, and this be pronouuced to be the 

 larva of the above-mentioned weevil. I strongly suspect, however, that it was the 

 larva of the Tineid .J/-Hrtr»j« /iHtY»W/«, which in the northern part of the State is 

 known to have this habit. He infonned me tliat his trees, which were set out the 

 past spring, were obtained from an Alanu'da County nurseryman, so it is very proli- 

 able that the eggs of the A)iarni<i were on tlie tre«'s when he set them out. He has 



00 acres .set out to peach, apricot, prune, aj)ple, pear, and wahmt trees and grape- 

 vines, but the apricots suti'ered most from the attacks of tliis tw'ig l»orer. He esti- 

 mates that fully 800 of his apricot trees hav(^ been attacked by tlicin, and on the greater 

 number of these trom four to six of tlu^ lateral branches had been destroyed. 



When he tirst sent me the weevils I advised him to spray his trees with Paris green 

 and water, one ptuind to 180 gallons, and this he did, and informs me that it stoppeil 

 the work of the twig-borers very effectually. When he saw- a branch beginning to 

 wither he at once removed and burned it, but he says that after applying the Paris 

 green he did not iiud any more withered branches, and I could not tind any at the 

 time of my visit. 



On my way back I obtained a few of the weevils above referred to, but did not 

 learn what their food-plant is. — [D. W. Coquillett, California, June 7, 1891. 



The Red-humped Caterpillar killed by Parasites. 



Will yon please inform me what parasite it is that kills the caterpiller? I here- 

 with inclose you dead caterpillars found in my orchard l)y the hundred. You will 

 observe a hole in each worm, and 1 would like to know its enemy, not that I regret 

 their destruction, but I would like to protect the enemy. * * * — [B. L. Fetherolf, 

 Pennsylvania, September 9, 1891. 



Rei'LY. — The larvic sent is a common pest of the Apple, known as the Red-humped 

 Caterj)illar, the scientific name of which is (Edemasia concinna Abbot and Smith. The 

 parasite which has infested all the specimens collected by you is a species that has 

 been bred by the Entomologist from this same insect, and it has recently been described 

 by Ashmead as Limneria ocdemasia-. This parasite belongs to the family Ichneumo- 

 nidse, and a second parasite which also attacks this insect, but has not up to the 

 present time been described is known to entomologists. The Limneria gives promise of 

 being a very efficient aid in keeping OEdcmusia in check. — [September 18, 1891.] 



Treatment of Grain infested with Angoumois Moths. 



* * * I am very anxious to get some information relative to (relechia cerealella. 



1 visited a farmer to-day and found his <rop of wheat in a sad condition. A large 

 percentage of it is ruined already, and he was fanning it over to try to save it in 

 that way. The pile of thrashed grain was very warm, and this was not caused by 

 moisture, but through the etfect of the insect. Upon examination this evening I 

 Ijnd mine that was thrashed on the 10th instant is getting warm in the pile. * * ^ 

 [R. B. Farqnhar, Maryland, September 14, 1891. 



Rkply. — * # * Nothing has ))ecn written or suggested as a means against this 

 insect when infesting grain in shock in the field or in stack, and to reach the 

 pest under such conditions would be a very difficult, if not impossible undertaking. 

 It appears, however, to be feasible to destroy the larva by the same means that is 

 employed against it in granaries, namely, the application of carbon bisulphide. To 

 use this in the field in shocks or even in stacks would necessitate covering the 

 stack or shock with a tent similar to the tent used in fumigating orange trees with 

 hydrocyanic acid gas in California, in.serting the bisnli)hide into the body of the 

 shock or stack by means of a long tin tube. This would be rather an ex]>eu3ive 

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