REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I917 41 



numerous and practically controlling the insect, which disappeared 

 before mid August. 



Niagara county. Generally distributed and serious in some places, 

 the insects leaving the potatoes about August 20th. 



Oneida county. Aphids were reported as quite prevalent in 

 unsprayed fields. 



Ontario county. Generally present though not injurious. 



Orange county. The pests were numerous in many small back- 

 yard patches and in a few larger fields. In early July and the 

 latter part of the month they were so numerous as to be practically 

 a plague. The insects disappeared during the second week of 

 August. 



Oswego county. About 90 per cent of the fields were infested 

 though the insects were not present in sufficient numbers to cause 

 serious damage. 



Rockland county. Aphids were reported very injurious and 

 abundant, ruining probably 50 acres. 



Schuyler county. It was estimated that 50 per cent of the fields 

 in the county were infested but most of them were not seriously 

 affected. 



Suffolk county. The infestation was placed at 100 per cent and 

 in the town of Riverhead 10 per cent of the fields were probably 

 seriously damaged, though Professor Sirrine expresses the opinion 

 that the aphids by destroying the* flower stalks may not be entirely 

 injurious. Mr Latham of Orient places the decrease in the crop 

 at 10 per cent and the last of July reported that from one-half to 

 two-thirds of the insects were infested by parasites. 



Ulster county. Aphids were generally prevalent in the county, 

 some 12 per cent of the fields being infested and the insects causing 

 an estimated decrease of the crop placed at 10 to 75 per cent. In 

 a few cases entire fields were destroyed. The percentage of infested 

 fields in various towns ranged from 18 to 80 and the per cent 

 seriously affected from 6 to 60. The insects appeared first July 

 10th and caused the greatest damage July 21st, beginning to 

 disappear on the 23d. 



Washington county. It was estimated that 5 per cent of the 

 fields were infested with a 5 per cent decrease in the crop. 



Habits and life history. This aphid, like the well-known apple 

 species, winters as a shiny black egg and more frequently on the 

 rose than any other host. With the coming of warm weather these 

 hatch and some of the winged individuals fly to potatoes and start 

 colonies. The young become full grown in about ten days, thus 



