REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I9OO 989 



beetle, Pomphopoea sayi Lee, was quite abundant and injurious 

 to the peach trees of E. L. Mitchell, Clarksville (N. Y.) about June 25. 



Fruit tree bark beetle (Scolytus rugulosus Ratz.) This in- 

 sect has caused more complaint than usual. It has been reported as caus- 

 ing considerable injury in several commercial orchards in the western part 

 of the state, and its operations in the vicinity of Albany have been more 

 serious than for some years. C. W. Stuart & Co., of Newark (N. Y.) 

 state that most of their young trees injured by Scolytus had been 

 previously struck by a cultivator or otherwise damaged. This insect 

 exhibits a marked preference for sickly or wounded trees, but it does not 

 hesitate, when abundant, to attack those apparently in full vigor. At 

 East Greenbush I observed a number of trees where the beetles had 

 begun their preliminary burrows in small peach trees in a young orchard 

 and had deserted them, causing a considerable loss of sap. Quite a 

 number were attacked in this way, and in some the insects continued 

 farther and proceeded to run burrows and deposit eggs. One limb of a 

 peach tree was partly split from the trunk, and the circulation in the bark 

 of the bent portion was undoubtedly weakened. Sep. 7 this place had 

 been attacked by the beetles in large numbers, and the bark was thickly 

 dotted with masses of gum. 



Plum curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar Herbst.) This 

 insect was much more abundant than usual at Kendaia, Seneca co., 

 according to reports received from J. F. Hunt. The middle of May 

 they were to be seen waiting on the trees, and by the latter part of the 

 month 50 could be obtained by jarring one tree, and there was an average 

 of 40 curculios for large trees, over 5000 being captured from 200 trees. 

 Fortunately there was an exceptionally large setting of fruit, and even 

 after three fourths was ruined, a fair crop still remained on the trees. It 

 has also been reported as numerous in several other localities. 



Pale Striped flea beetle (Systena taeniata Say). Serious 

 damage by this species to seedling appletrees was reported by two 

 observers. C. H. Stuart of Newark, Wayne co., states that this pest 

 destroyed 20,000 seedling appletrees the latter part of June. The trees 

 were cultivated weekly, and the pests were present in sufficient numbers 

 to strip the young trees within seven days. J. Jay Barden, of Stanley 

 Ontario co., states that this flea beetle was very injurious to seedling 

 appletrees, and that it was also exceedingly abundant on sugar beets. 

 The experience of Mr Stuart with this insect was paralleled last year 

 by that of W. R. Smith, of Syracuse, {see N. Y. state entomologist's 



