416 BUSH-FRUITS 



The insect appears about the middle of May in northern lati- 

 tudes, and takes up its abode on the tenderest leaves at the tip of 

 the twigs. It is then too small to be readily seen, but by means 

 of its proboscis, a perpetual self-acting pump, it immediately 

 begins to drain the leaf of its sap. At first its work is not con- 

 spicuous, but soon becomes manifest by the appearance of small, 

 dark spots, which later turn brown and die, the soft part of the 

 leaf within having been, sucked out. These spots, which at first 

 are not larger than the head of a pin, may become much larger 

 and even run together, causing the death of the entire leaf. 

 The shoot itself may be checked in growth, or even killed. 



The nymphs, or immature forms of the insect, are at first very 

 small, but easily recognized by the shining vermilion-red color of 

 the body, marked by blackish spots on the thorax. The mature 

 insect is a bright orange -yellow colored bug, three -tenths of an 

 inch long, with four black stripes extending down the back. 



The eggs are laid in clusters in slits near the tips of twigs of 

 the present year's growth of currants, gooseberries, and other 

 shrubs. They are deposited late in June, and remain in this 

 position until the nymphs hatch the following spring. These 

 undergo five moults before reaching the adult form. The adults 

 disappear early in July, there being but one brood a year. 



Remedies. — Since the insect feeds by sucking the sap of the 

 plant from the inner tissues of the leaf, the application of poisons 

 like Paris green can do no good. Kerosene emulsion, diluted with 

 not more than five parts of water, if very thoroughly applied 

 while the insects are still young, will prove effective. The egg 

 clusters are not difficult to find, and since they remain over win- 

 ter, trimming off and burning five or six inches of infested twigs 

 is a practicable remedy, at least on a small scale. 



The Currant Plant-louse 



Myzus rihis (Linn.). — Order Hemiptera. Family Aphididae. 



Lintner, N. Y. Rep. 9 : 370. Weed, Ins. and Insecticides, 100. Aphis ribis, 

 Linn. Saundei-s, Ins. Inj. Fruits, 3.51. 



This is a small, yellowish plant-louse, appearing on the under 

 surface of currant leaves toward midsummer, causing them to 



