REPORT OF STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1899 5^9 



town. It is unaffected by hellebore. Forest tent caterpillars are not 

 quite so numerous. Many of the apple trees are almost leafless in the 

 country, [the work of Clisiocampa americana] while trees 

 in the city are covered with caterpillars, though the foliage has not 

 suffered very severely. Many small caterpillars are to be seen on the 

 maple trees. The shad flies have appeared, but a south wind has taken 

 most of them to the Canadian shore. June 8. Apple tree tent caterpillar 

 [Clisiocampa americana] has been a very serious pest in the 

 country. June 15. [Schizoneura americana] is abundant on 

 elms, forming white, cottony masses. June 22. White grubs are 

 unusually destructive to strawberry plants. Currant worms more trouble- 

 some than common. July 6. The raspberry cane girdler [O b e r e a 

 b i m a c u 1 a t a] has commenced its work, but is not nearly so trouble- 

 some as last year, when about half our bushes were killed. Picking and 

 burning infested shoots has proved effective in controlhng this pest. Egg 

 belts of the forest tent caterpillar are beginning to be found; the moths 

 are still numerous. July 14. Eggs of forest tent caterpillar are very 

 numerous ; on one small twig 9 inches long three egg belts were found. 

 July 28. Cabbage butterflies [Pieris rapae] are abundant and 

 causing great complaint. The two spotted tree hopper [Enchenopa 

 b i n o t a t a] is proving very destructive to the bittersweet. The tomato 

 worm [Phlegethontius celeus] is more abundant than usual. 

 Aug. 16. The large number of orange or dark brown and black butter- 

 flies [milkweed butterfly, Anosia plexippus]is appalling. They 

 cling in masses as large as a two quart pail to maples and there are thou- 

 sands flying about. They are very abundant in gardens. There are 

 many complaints of the poultry mite which appears to be more trouble- 

 some than usual. A number of cut leaved birches have died [possibly 

 the work of A g ri 1 u s anxius]. Sep. i. 



Saratoga county (Rhoda Thompson, Ballston Spa) — Apple tree 

 and forest tent caterpillars have been fought with fire with tolerable suc- 

 cess. Rose leaf hopper [Typhlocyba rosae] has been very 

 abundant and injurious. May 25. Currant worm [Pteronus ri- 

 b e s i i ] is at work as usual. Larvae of grape vine plume moth 

 [Oxyptilus periscelidactylusj are webbing up the tender 

 tips. White grubs are destructive to all sorts of tender plants, tomatoes, 

 cauliflowers, carnations, etc. Where fought early and persistently, tlie 

 forest tent caterpillar [Clisiocampa disstria] has not inflicted 

 much damage. June 2. Striped cucumber beetle [Diabrotica 

 vittata] is devouring melon and squash vines, asters and dahlias. 



