

CHERMES OF MAINE CONIFERS. 28l 



CHERMES PINIFOLIAE IN MAINE. 



On June 16, 1905, I first found winged Chermes in great 

 abundance on the needles of white pine (Pinus strobus) at 

 Orono. My notes for that date state that on some branches 

 nearly every pine needle had a Chermes stationed near the tip 

 with the head away from the tip. On some needles were three 

 or four. Most of the specimens observed at this date were 

 dead. A large cluster of eggs was found beneath the wings 

 of each Chermes. Eggs brought in June 16 hatched June 26. 



Immediate reference to Fitch's description gave such a striking 

 agreement of my notes with his account of the egg laying habit 

 of Chermes pinifoliae that I listed the collection under the name 

 of that species. Mounts were made of the freshest specimens 

 a few of which were still alive. These I took with considerable 

 other material to Mr. Pergande the following winter and he 

 kindly compared them with Fitch's type* of Chermes pini- 

 foliae and stated that the type specimen was too imperfect 

 to give a satisfactory basis of comparison but that in size and 

 in such points as could be compared the two agreed and that 

 he considered the specimens from Maine to be pinifoliae. 



July 5, 1907, at Milo, Maine, I observed this species very 

 abundant on the needles of white pine. The specimens were 

 all dead at this date but they still adhered to the needles, on 

 some of which there were as many as 14 or 1 6 in Indian file 

 with their heads towards the base of the needle. This was in 

 accordance with Fitch's observation "I have met with the dead 

 females thus adhering to the leaves the first of July." Speci- 

 mens of this collection were photographed as taken. See Fig. 

 127. 



On June 14, 1909, a large number of black spruce twigs 

 were brought to me with the statement that "almost every 

 cone is infested under the scales and is abnormal in form." 

 Some of these specimens are shown in Figs. 128 and 129. The 

 infested growths at this stage were indeed so cone like that I 

 took their cone-ship for granted until I read over Packard's 

 discussion of abieticolens Thomas which he ' 'found in abund- 



* Fitch's aphid types were originally mounted on card 'points on pins. 

 A few of these came finally to the U. S. collection where they were 

 removed and are preserved as balsam mounts. 



