THE WILLOW APHIS. 15 



lands during- 1906. Unlike the latter two species, the Apple Leaf 

 Aphis does not cause the leaves to curl. 



Briefly, the life-history is as follows: 



The eggs hatch out about the middle of April, and commence 

 attacking both leaf and blossom buds, the latter becoming brown and 

 dying. In ten to twelve days the young reach maturity, and early 

 in June they commence to migrate to various grasses, returning to the 

 Apple about the middle of September, on which they deposit their 

 eggs in the axils of the buds. 



Spraying 1 in the autumn with a paraffin emulsion before the 

 Aphides lay their eggs is undoubtedly the best remedial measure, 

 failing that, winter spraying with the caustic soda-emulsion must be 

 carried out 



THE WILLOW APHIS. 



Melanoxanthus salicis (Linn.). 



A Worcester correspondent forwarded in September last specimens 

 of this insect from a number of Willow trees, which were literally 

 swarming with the insects in all stages of growth. The attack was 

 first noticed in the early part of the year, and gradually became worse. 

 In July there was scarcely a leaf left on the trees. 



This species is one of the largest of the Aphides, but apparently 

 a local one. I have not hitherto met with it in the Midland Counties. 



Buckton 1 records it as occurring on Poplar trees as well as 

 Willows. 



In the above-mentioned case the trees were well sprayed with 

 paraffin emulsion in the autumn, and up to the time of writing I have 

 not heard of their re-appearance. 



THE APPLE SUCKER. 



Psylla mali, Forster. 



Wherever Apples are grown in the Midland Counties the Apple 

 Sucker has been the most serious pest that the fruit-grower has had 

 to contend with. In Worcestershire it has proved particularly injurious. 



A full account of the life-history of this insect was given in my 

 Report for 1904. 



Reports are just coming to hand of the beneficial effects that have 

 resulted from the use of the caustic soda-emulsion, which, I am pleased 

 to say, has been taken up by most of the fruit-growers in this country. 



The following extracts from a few of these reports may be of 

 interest, especially in view of the fact that Mr. F. V. Theobald, so 



Monog. Brit. Aphides, 1879, vol. ii. p. 23. 



