90 NEW HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE 



Satisfactory studies of the life-histories of insects — studies 

 which are essential to the best economic results — require careful 

 and continuous attention from one whose time can be wholly 

 devoted to the subject. The entomological department needs 

 an assistant for such work, as the college duties of the ento- 

 mologist require much time and frequent absences from town. 

 During the past year occasional assistance has been rendered 

 by students, especially Messrs. L. H. Kittredge and R. H. 

 Shaw. The former has been especially helpful in making 

 drawings for bulletin illustrations, and the latter in taking pho- 

 tographs for a similar purpose. 



The Insect Record for 1896 



The season of 1896, as far as insect outbreaks in New Hamp- 

 shire are concerned, was especially notable for the continuance 

 of the attack of the American tent caterpillar 1 and an invasion 

 by the army worm 2 . I have treated of both of these pests 

 quite fully in recent bulletins, The Tent Caterpillar forming the 

 subject of Bulletin 38, and The Army Worm, of Bulletin 39. 

 The former insect was even more destructive than during 

 previous years and threatens to inflict still greater damage next 

 spring. Perhaps the most notable feature of the outbreak is to 

 be found in the extending range of food plants. Not content 

 with the foliage of the apple and wild cherry, which from time 

 immemorial seems to have formed the staple diet of these cater- 

 pillars, they are now attacking many other trees, being forced 

 to this procedure because of the exhaustion of their own 

 natural food supplies. 



A statement of this phase of the outbreak is published in the 

 bulletin, already mentioned, and a number of illustrations of it 

 are there given. Figure 1 on next page shows the effect of tent 

 caterpillar attack upon the barberry, a plant which ordinarily 

 does not suffer such injury. It is evident that concerted action 

 by communities is very desirable in subduing this pest which so 

 greatly disfigures our highways, and so seriously injures our 

 orchards. 



1 Clisiocampa americana. 



2 Leucania unipuncta. 



