ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



57 



on Windsor, or English broad beans, and caused much damage to these plants in some 

 gardens. While at times very destructive to these plants and to potatoes, it is unlike 

 most injurious insects in possessing one good habit at least, and that is its practice of 

 feeding upon the larvae of the Colorado potato beetle. The question may therefore arise 

 as to whether it does more good than harm. If the evidence should be adverse, then it 

 may be dealt with precisely as its prey, and the "two birds be killed with one stone " by 

 an aplication of Paris green in the usual manner. As far as I know, the black blistering 

 beetle has only one brood in the year, and therefore only attacks the food-plant for a 

 limited period, whereas the Colorado beetle has a succession of broods throughout the 

 season, and never ceases its depredations from the time when the plants first appear 

 .above the soil in spring, till they are ready to be dug in the autumn. 



Miscellaneous. 



>\v.- ; ^\\ 



For some ten years or so the apple-tree tent-caterpillar (Glisiocampa Americana, 

 Harris) (Fig. 57) has not been seen in the neighborhood of Port Hope, but this year it 

 has put in an appearance again and I have observed a few of the moths. In Peter- 

 borough and about Toronto it has been quite 

 numerous and destructive. Formerly it was 

 one of the worst pests of the fruit grower 

 that we had, and its webs were to be seen 

 in spring and early summer on apple, pear, 

 plum and cherry trees, and especially upon 

 the wild varieties of the two latter. One 

 spring, however, they were practically ex- 

 terminated. The tiny caterpillars emerged 

 from the eggs, which are laid in "bracelets" 

 (Fig. 57, c) around twigs of the affected tree, 

 at the same time as the leaf buds first opened 

 and at once began to devour them A few 

 days later there came a severe frost which 

 was too much for the tender little worms 

 and they were all killed, giving us an immu- 

 nity from the pest for a number of years. 

 Now that they have begun to appear again, 

 it will be well for fruit growers to be on the 

 look out next spring and to destroy every 

 " tent " with its inmates as soon as it is 

 discovered. 



Grasshoppers, which were very numerous 

 and did a great deal of damage to pastures, 

 and hay and oat crops, during the two pre- 

 ceding years, were this season remarkably 

 few in numbers and caused no appreciable 

 injury. 



Various species of plant-lice (Aphis) were excessively abundant and injurious to 

 plants of all kinds during the summer ; the long continued hot and dry weather being 

 very favorable to their increase. Even such weeds as the Lamb's-quarter were covered 

 with them and many cultivated flowers in gardens suffered severely. 



The Cigar case bearer {Coleophora Fletcher -eWa) was found in June upon some neglected 

 apple trees on the edge of a field near Port Hope. This pest which has been a serious 

 one in some localities during the last few years, is evidently spreading in Ontario and 

 should be carefully looked for in spring and early summer. A full account of the insect 

 and the best modes of dealing with it is given in the report for 1895 of Dr. James 

 J'letcher, the Dominion Entomologist and Botanist. 



Fig. 57. 



