98 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



Fig. 39 —Pear psylla ; 

 winged adult : enlarged. 



Family PSYLLID^. 



The insects of this family are popularly known as "jumping plant lice" 



from their active habits ; but, as a matter of fact they much more closely 



resemble a Cicada in miniature, both pairs of wings being 



transparent and obliquely held on the back. The antennae 



or feelers are quite long, differing thus from the leaf-hop- 

 pers, which they somewhat resemble in general form as 



well as in size. 

 The species differ in habit, many of them forming galls, 



especially on Celtis, while others feed upon foliage only. 



Our only injurious species is the " pear psylla," which not 



only punctures the leaf and fruit stalk, exhausting the 



juices, but also excretes a honey-dew in such quantity as to 



coat the leaves and form a foundation for the development 



of a black fungus that covers both leaves and fruit and 



checks development. The insect hibernates as an adult 



and a thorough spraying just before the buds open, using a 



strong whale-oil soap mixture or a crude or kerosene oil 

 mechanical mixture, will kill a large percentage of the 

 hibernating forms as they leave their winter quarters. 



For summer treatment the mechanical mixture of kero- 

 sene and water, sprayed as directed for leaf-hoppers, is the 

 most practical mixture. 



There are few collectors of these little creatures, and Mr. 

 E. A. Schwarz, of Washington, D. C, has kindly revised the 

 list for me and noted the food habits. 



Big 40 — Appendicu- 

 late egg of Psylla; 

 much enlarged. 



Sub-family LIVIIN^E. 



LIVIA Latr. 

 L. maculipennis Fitch. N. Y., west to la., doubtless in New Jersey. 

 L. vemalis Fit^h. Common throughout eastern U. S. on Juncussp.; imago 

 abundant in winter on pine trees. 



Sub-family APHALARIN^. 



PSYLLOPSIS Loew. 



P. fraxinicola Forst. Atlantic City in Fraxinus excelsior (C. V. R.). 

 Imported from Europe and quite injurious to ash trees (Sz). 



APHALARA Forst. 



A. calthse Linn. New Brunswick, VII 27 ( Sm ), common on Polygonum hydro- 

 piper (Sz). 



A. sp. nov. Sz. Anglesea, V, 28 (Sm), common on Solidago throughout the 

 State (Sz). 



