REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I913 53 



some orchards was seriously blackened as a result of sooty fungus 

 developing in the honeydew exuded by the Psyllids. There is 

 decidedly less injury, as a rule, by this insect in the Hudson valley 

 than in western New York, though it occasionally becomes excess- 

 ively abundant locally in the eastern part of the State. 



The efficacy of a late spraying with a standard Ume-sulphur wash 

 for the control of this insect was well shown in a previously 

 neglected and consequently badly infested orchard near Athens. 

 Psyllas had been numerous and at the time of spraying (April 

 I7th-i9th) most of the adults had disappeared and the small, yel- 

 lowish eggs were abundant on many twigs. The one spraymg at 

 this time practically annihilated the pest in that orchard, only a 

 very few insects being seen throughout the summer. 



The control of this insect is greatly aided by keeping the rough 

 bark scraped from the trunks of the older trees, thus materially 

 reducing the number of winter shelters for the " flies." Summer 

 applications of a contact insecticide, such as a tobacco extract, are 

 sometimes necessary. 



Plant lice were somewhat abundant, especially on young trees, 

 early in the season, probably because of the cool, backward weather. 

 In some instances the foliage on shoots lo to 12 inches long of 

 small trees was nearly covered with the pests. Mr W. H. Hart of 

 Arlington reports plant lice almost absent from young trees which 

 had been very badly infested the preceding season and had then 

 been thoroughly sprayed with a whale oil soap solution used at the 

 rate of i pound to 12 gallons of water. 



A number of natural enemies were observed preying upon plant 

 lice, such as the black grubs of the two-spotted lady-beetle, A d a 1 i a 

 b i p u n c t a t a Linn., the white-tufted larvae of H y p e r a s p i s 

 s i g n a t a var. b i n o t a t a , and the varicolored larvae of Syrphid 

 flies, were very serviceable in checking the injury, especially as the 

 weather became warmer about June 20th or a little later. In some 

 instances it was found advisable to spray with contact insecticides 

 rather than to rely upon the beneficial action of natural agents. 



San Jose scale (Aspidiotus perniciosus Comst.). 

 As a rule this insect has not been causing appreciable injury in 

 orchards systematically sprayed, though occasionally neglected trees 

 become very badly infested. The experience of the past season 

 shows that even under such, conditions, one thorough application 

 will check the pest in a most effective manner. 



The Entomologist supervised the spraying of a neglected and 



