ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 



33 



"being free from the attacks of these destroyers. In 1896 the tussock worms were few in 

 numbers, as might hare been expected from such wholesale destruction, and did little 

 injury to the trees, but this year they have increased in numbers again owing to the 

 destruction of the parasites themselves by others which prey upon them — secondary 

 parasites, as they are termed. Thus was verified the old rhyme : 



" Big fleas have little fleas to bite 'em. 

 And so on ad infinitum." 



The " Army worm " (Leucania unipunctata) which was so abundant and did so much 

 damage throughout this Province and the neighboring States last year, was, as Mr. 

 Moffat predicted, conspicuous by its absence this year. As far as my own observations 

 are concerned, I did not see a single caterpillar and not more than half a dozen of the 

 moths, nor have I heard of any injury being done by the insect in any part of the 

 country. This immunity is undoubtedly owing to the friendly work of parasites^ 

 especially the Tachina flies mentioned in the Report for last year. 



The Grape-vine Flea- beetle (Graptodera chalyhea) [Fig. 24], has been very destructive 

 of late years to the foliage of the Virigina Creeper (Ampelopsis quinquefolia). Where 

 spraying with Paris green was not resorted to several times during the season, the vines 





Fig. 24. Fig. 25. 



-were completly stripped of their leaves before the end of August. Strange to say, a 

 grape-vine against a fence only a few yards from some badly affected creepers was not 

 attacked at all. 



Among the interesting records of the year may be mentioned the capture of a speci- 

 men, for the first time at Port Hope, of the Spotted Peliduota (P. punctata, Linn.) [Fig. 

 25], which feeds upon the grape-vine. I have never before met with this insect east of 

 Toronto, but Mr. Evans tells me that he has taken it at Trenton. A specimen of Papilio 

 Marcellus was again seen in the town park on the 24th of July — the same locality where 



it had been observed last year. Several species of Plusia 

 have been common throughout the summer, visiting flowera 

 in the day-time and attracted indoors by light at night, and 

 have continued until late in the autumn ; P precatiomis 

 and simplex [Fig. 26], were the most abundant, and several 

 of the rare P. hiloba were captured, one as late as Novem- 

 ber 5th, when it was found sipping nectar from the few 

 hardy flowers left in the garden. 



Dr. Fletcher upon being called upon by the Chairman. 

 gave a full and interesting account of the appearance of the 



Fig 26. 



3 EX. 



