REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I910 65 



vay across the wing obliquely toward the apex. Behind the 

 interior white saddle there is a tuft of raised, black scales and 

 everal similar ones at the apex of the fore wings. This species can 

 :ardly be considered as of much economic importance, since its food 

 *lant has very little commercial value. 



Beech tree blight (Pemphigus imbricator Fitch), 

 ^his rather common insect is easily recognized by the woolly plant 

 ce or aphids occurring in masses on the under side of the limbs, 

 'his species is quite resistant to cold, since it was observed the 

 Ltter part of October, 1903, after the temperature had been quite 

 Did and while an inch of snow was to be seen on adjacent hillsides. 

 : is a widely distributed species, having been reported from various 

 irts of the State. It was undoubtedly this species which was 

 ^ported by Dr D. B. Miller, Jersey City, N. J., under date of 

 ctober 31st, as being abundant on the lower small branches of 

 )ung beech trees in Delaware county. Mr George C. Wood, writ- 

 g from the Trenton camp grounds at Barneveld, Oneida county, 

 ugust 22d, stated that they were having a great deal of trouble 

 ith the insect, adding that every beech tree was covered with it 

 id that it was fast killing the branches. Mr Frank A. Schmidt of 

 on, writing under date of September 14th, states that practically 

 of the beech trees in that vicinity were affected by this pest, 

 le insects were so numerous that the lower branches of nearly all 

 ^ beech trees were completely covered with the white, woolly 

 lids. These limbs seemed to have lost all vitality, since those 

 f an inch in diameter could be bent and twisted like a piece of 

 De. 



The great abundance of this insect over so large an area appears 

 be unusual for New York State. Owing to the fact that it occurs 

 Dn forest trees, active remedial masures are ordinarily imprac- 

 il. We must depend in large measure upon natural enemies, 

 e of the most important of these is the caterpillar of a native 

 terfly, Feniseca tarquinius Fabr. The mother insect 

 )Osits her eggs upon the twigs of beech, alder etc. in the midst 

 colonies of woolly aphids. The caterpillars, upon hatching, spin 

 hin web and devour many of the plant lice, completing their 

 wth within thirteen days. 



ilver fir aphid (Chermes piceae Ratz.) . Nordmann's 



received from Europe the past season and submitted for exam- 



:ion by the State Department of Agriculture, were infested by 



hermes which was provisionally determined as the above named 



