REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I915 " II 



Last fall and early in the spring the Entomologist sent out popular 

 notices regarding these insects, giving directions for the location of 

 badly infested areas and advising certain preventive measures. In 

 spite of these warnings numerous farmers suffered unnecessary 

 losses, either by allowing badly infested land to remain unplowed, 

 or by planting potatoes, corn and other susceptible crops upon 

 recently turned and seriously infested sod. The three-year life 

 cycle of these insects makes it comparatively easy for a farmer to 

 judge the probabilities of damage a year or two in advance. 



Depredations by grass webworms have continued in Dutchess 

 county, in one case a five acre field of corn near Pine Plains being 

 destroyed by the insects. The work of these pests, as in the case 

 of white grubs, can be avoided to a large extent by refraining from 

 planting badly infested sod to susceptible crops such as corn. An 

 effort has been made to interest several persons in the practical 

 control of these insects and it is possible that grasslands can be 

 effectively freed from the pests at a very moderate cost. 



Shade tree insects. Injuries by the elm leaf beetle have not been 

 particularly severe the past season, due in part presumably to low 

 temperatures prevaihng in June and thus delaying egg deposition, 

 and also probably to the abundant rainfall which has enabled the 

 trees to withstand successfully a considerable amount of leaf injury. 

 Many of the insects completed their transformations successfully, 

 and with favorable climatic conditions another season severe damage 

 may result in localities where the trees suffered but little the past 

 summer. 



Other rather common shade tree pests such as the white-marked 

 tussock moth, the false maple scale and the cottony maple scale, 

 have attracted comparatively little attention the past season. 



Forest tree pests. There has been continued injury by the 

 hickory bark beetle in the vicinity of New York City and in other 

 sections of the State though the insects do not appear to be so 

 abundant and destructive as in earlier years. The general interest 

 in the protection of forest trees, especially in the vicinity of New 

 York City, has resulted in the cutting out of many dead and dying 

 trees which has undoubtedly had a material influence in reducing 

 the numbers of the pest. In this connection we have been able 

 to rear large series of secondary forms occurring in dying and dead 

 hickory trees. 



The two-lined chestnut borer is continuing its nefarious work and 

 destroying groups of oaks, especially in regions about New York 

 City. Here, likewise, the prompt removal and destruction of 

 infested trees is of considerable value in checking the pest. 



