THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



23 



box contains eggs of an orchard insect first ob- 

 served here last j'car. The}' are deposited on the 

 bark near the forlvs, and number from two to 

 twenty per tree. I called attention to them at the 

 last winter meeting of the Western New York 

 Horticultural Society ; but one member had ob- 

 served them. They are deposited in early 

 autumn to hatch in spring, but this fall has been 

 so exceptionally warm up to date that j'ou will 

 see that manj^ of the eggs have hatched. I have 

 not seen or recognized the matured insect. What 

 are they, friend or foe? [4.] 



ScottsvilU, N . Y. Shelby Eeed. 



[i.] The borer that so badly affects the roots, 

 and which is reported to be absolutely killing 

 out the Black Ash trees in parts of New York, 

 belongs to the Cerambycidaox long-horned beetles. 

 The species cannot, however, be determined un- 

 til it is reared to the perfect state, as none of the 

 writers on the insects of New York mention any 

 beetle larva thus affecting this tree. The only 

 ash-borer mentioned by entomologists is a Lepi- 

 dopterous insect {Troc/iiliittn demidatitni). [2.] 

 The webs or tents so common upon that tree are 

 those of the Fall web-worm {Hyphantria textor) ; 

 it is also prevalent on many other kinds of trees. 

 It has been particularly abundant in New York 

 State the present year. [3.] We found nothing 

 in the apples sent but a dead specimen of the 

 ordinar}' apple-worm (Carpocapsa ponionclla). We 

 shall be glad, therefore, to get otherbored apples, 

 so as to learn the real nature of what you call the 

 " gimlet worm." [4. J The supposed eggs upon 

 the bark of your orchard trees are in reality the 

 cocoons of the Apple-leaf Bucculatrix {Bitccu/a- 

 (rix pomofoliella Clemens). It is found upon 

 apple trees in most of the States where apples are 

 grown. 



The little worm that spins these cocoons feeds 

 externally on the leaf, being quite active, and 

 letting itself down by a web when disturbed. It 

 measures about one-half inch in length when full- 

 grown, and is of a dark green color, with the 

 joints of the body swollen so as to look like a 

 series of beads. The principal damage is done 

 in the month of September. The pupa, which is 

 of a dark brown color, works its way partly out 

 of the cocoon and gives forth the moth in spring. 

 The female moth at once lays her eggs on the 

 tender leaves, the worms which hatch therefrom 

 spinning up in midsummer. There are, there- 

 fore, two annual broods. As stated in the fourth 

 Report on the Insects of Missouri, the great 

 peculiarity of this insect is its habit of forming its 

 little ribbed cocoon in company on the bark — a 

 habit which at once gives us the mastery over it ; 

 for as the pupa remains in the cocoon all through 

 the winter, we can make war upon it at any time 

 during that season. When the insect is abun- 

 dant these cocoons will absolutely cover the 

 smaller twigs in the manner shown in the accom- 

 panying figure, and they will be found even on 



the larger branches and trunk. Anything ap- 

 plied to the tree with the object of killing these 

 pupae must be of an oily nature, so as to readily 

 soak through the cocoon. We have experiment- 

 ally proved that an application of kerosene oil is 

 death to them, and though we have had no oppor- 

 tunity of testing it on an extensive scale, we have 

 no hesitancy in advising its use, or that of linseed 

 [Fig. 6.] 



ArpLE-LEAF Buccui.ATRix.— rt, twig covered with cocoons ; 

 b^ cocoon enlarged ; <f, motli enlarged ; nat.'size in hair-line 

 (after Riley). 



oil. Alkalies might also be tried. The best 

 time to apply the remedy in your locality is April, 

 and we advise no delay beyond that month, as 

 the moths begin to issue soon after tree-growth 

 actively recommences. Apply the kerosene in 

 diluted form by stirring in hot soap-suds, and 

 spraying upon the trees by means of a force-pump 

 and atomizer — the tree, if badly infested, to be 

 first vigorously pruned. — C. V. R. in Land and 

 Home. 



Skippers injuring smoked Hams. — The 

 smoked hams cured in Peoria suffer much from 

 the ravages of the enclosed insect. One firm 

 lost over two thousand dollars from this cause 

 last year. When the hams are taken from the 

 pickle and smoked, they are hung in a two-story 

 room and left forty-eight hours in a smoke of 

 sawdust. This is during July and August. 

 During this time the fire must be replenished, 

 and b}' opening the door a strong current of air 

 is formed, which it is thought forces the flies 

 in the smoke-house, and the eggs are laid at that 

 time. When they are taken from the smoke- 

 house it is after night and in a diml)' lighted room, 

 only enough are taken out to supply the men 

 employed to cover them with paper and canvas. 

 This is quickly done, and then the whole cover- 

 ing of the ham is immersed in a solution of what 

 they call yellow glue. The seams are very firmly 

 fastened and glued, the two thicknesses being 

 ample protection ; but when many of the bags 

 are opened they present a loathsome sight. The 

 animal is killed in cold weather and the hams 

 remain under brine until smoked. Can 3'ou 

 suggest flny thing as a remedy ? Do you believe 

 the eggs are laid in the smoke-house or the flies 

 encased in the hams? The distilleries are in the 

 neighborhood, and perhaps cause a greater 

 number of flies. E. A. S., Peoria, Ills. 



The insect in question is what is properly 

 known as the " Skipper," {Piophila casei L.) 



