1924 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 19 



counties with severe damage throughout most of the infested territory on 

 neglected or poorly-sprayed trees. In 1923, it is reported for the first time from 

 Rhode Island and New Jersey. 



So far as I have been able to ascertain through personal examination and 

 from reliable sources, the apple and thorn skeletonizer occupies the following 

 territory in this country at the close of this season — 1923: 



New York — From Orient Point, at the extreme east end of Long Island, 

 northward up the Hudson River valley practically to Whitehall in Washington 

 county. It extends eastward from the Hudson to the Connecticut and Massa- 

 chusetts and Vermont line. The pest is established from Glenn Falls southward 

 throughout the whole of Schenectady and Albany counties, is on the west slope 

 of the Catskills in Greene county, is probably in the western part of Ulster county 

 and is present throughout the whole of Orange and Rockland counties. We 

 have found it this year scatteringly as far west in Scoharie county as Cobleskille, 

 a point about fifty-five miles almost due west of Albany. 



Careful search earlier in the season failed to disclose the presence of the pest 

 at Johnstown, a point about fifty miles up the Mohawk from Albany. Ap- 

 parently, from all reports, the insect is not yet present in Essex or Clinton counties 

 —the latter adjoining the Canadian border. Also, none was found by Mr. P. M. 

 Eastman, of the New York Department of Farms and Markets, after a thorough 

 search of neglected apple trees at Malone. 



Connecticut — It is now reported present in all parts of the state. 



Massachusetts — Prof. A. I. Bourne reports (September, 1923, Insect Pest 

 Survey, p. 280) that apparently the skeletonizer had spread clear across the 

 state and that, while not yet in large numbers, there undoubtedly would be an 

 increased abundance throughout the state as a whole another year. 



Rhode Island — Prof. A. E. Stene (Insect Pest Survey, September, 1923, 

 p. 228) reports that it has been found this season from the Connecticut line to a 

 point three-fourths of the distance across the state. 



New Jersey — Known to be present so far only in a small orchard at Pompton, 

 which is about eight miles north of Paterson and almost fifteen miles southwest 

 of Suffern, New York, on the border of Rockland county. 



Vermont — The skeletonizer is probably present along parts of the western 

 border of Vermont since it has been found within a mile of the border at several 

 points in Washington county, N.Y. I have, however, received no definite 

 report as yet of its occurrence in this state. 



Canada — This past summer, Mr. J. P. Spittall, of the Annapolis Royal 

 Laboratory in Nova Scotia, wrote me that he thought the pest was present up 

 there, but understand from Dr. McDunnough, in charge of the national collection 

 at Ottawa, that specimens submitted for determination were undoubtedly not 

 this species. The caterpillars were feeding on thorn. 



Such is the brief history of the introduction, spread and present distribution 

 of the apple and thorn skeletonizer in this country. My purpose has been simply 

 to record all that could be ascertained to date concerning its occurrence here. 



Food Plants. The apple and thorn skeletonizer seems to prefer to feed 

 upon apple in this country, but has been recorded as also injuring, to a lesser 

 extent, thorn and pear, and, in one instance, peach, sweet cherry and strawberry. 



Damage. The injury of the apple and thorn skeletonizer is not equally 

 severe in all parts of its present range, but it is reasonable to conclude that its 

 numbers will undoubtedly increase to a considerable extent in a season or two 



