DISEASES OF THE PIAR TREE ] 251 



stictica Muls. and Epicometis hirtella Burm. are two 

 beetles which feed on the flowers of the pear and of 

 other rosaceous trees. In their stead we have Epicometis 

 squalida and Leucocelis funesta (Maltese^^^?//) of evil 

 fame with the cultivators of roses, but they also frequently 

 destroy the blossoms of the pear and other fruit trees. 

 The sa'me remark applies to Labidostomus taxicornis 

 Labill. a small beetle with a large metallic blue green 

 head and orange yellow elytrae, which eats the foliage 

 as well as the blossoms. Potosia floricola var. cuprina 

 sometimes eats the flowers of the pear and of other 

 rosaceous trees, and also destroys many a ripening 

 pear and apple in order to enjoy the sugary juice. 



Otiorrhynchus raucus Germ., Peritelus griseus 

 Germ., Phyllobius argentatus Schh., Ph. oblongus Schh., 

 Ph. Piri Schh., Polydrosus sericeus Schall., Magdalis 

 Pruni Germ., Anthonomus pomorum Germ., A. Piri 

 Koll., Apion Pomonae Hbst, Rhynchites Bacchus Hbst., 

 Rh. equatus Hbst., Rh. eonicus 111., Rh. pauxillus Germ., 

 Rh. auratus Scop., Scolytus Pruni Ratz., Bostrichus 

 dispar Fb,, Luperus flavipes Geoffr., and L. rufipes 

 Geoffr., prey upon the pear tree in France and Italy, 

 and no doubt some of them, or species nearly allied, 

 exist also in these Islands, although the injury caused 

 by them has never been serious enough to attract 

 attention. 



The Hymenoptera include a few species which are 

 injurious to the pear tree. The larvae of the small 

 bee-like insect Eriocampa adumbrata Klg. about \ c.m. 

 long, with a shining black body, yellow anterior feet, 

 and brown wings, eat the substance of the leaf, leaving 

 only the nerves; Lyda Piri Schrk. and Nematus abbre- 

 viatus Hart, prey upon the leaves of the pear in Italy 

 and other continental countries. 



