BULLETIN No. 171. 



THE PINE-LEAF CHERMES 



AND 



THE GREEN-WINGED CHERMES.* 



EDITH M. PATCH. 

 THE PiNE-L^AF CHERMES (Chermes pinifolia Fitch)." 



On account of recent troubles,, varying in nature and impor- 

 tance, of the white pine in Maine a close watch has been kept 

 over the pine by people throughout the State, which has resulted 

 in their becoming interested in many insects of the white pine 

 heretofore attracting but little attention. 



Conspicuous among such insects during the early summer 

 of 1909 was a dark reddish-brown plant louse, "The Pine-leaf 

 Chermes" shown in Fig. 43 in its characteristic position on the 

 pine needles where it settles to lay its eggs. This Chermes 

 appears upon the pine needle about the middle of June, and 

 some years in conspicuous numbers. 



The past summer (1909) hardly a pine in the vicinity of 

 Orono could be found that was not abundantly infested with 

 these winged forms and that the same was true in other parts 

 of the State was shown by specimens submitted to the Station. 

 One such report from Gilead June 25, accompanying specimens, 

 read "Millions of the flies on white pine." 



The eggs of this species are not expelled from the bodies 

 of the females. The insects attach themselves firmly to the 

 pine needles with their heads toward the base of the needle and 

 die there with the eggs held in the abdomen which is like a little 

 sac protected by the wing of the parent Chermes. Such a 



* Papers from the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station ; Entomol- 

 ogy No. 37. 



