74 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



of its cutting all roots that obstruct its search for food. The insect 

 is rather slow breed ed, and although one female may produce 200 

 eggs, it requires three years to complete the life cycle. It is stated 

 that it takes twelve years for the pest to become so abundant as 

 seriously to threaten cultivated plants. 



The work of Messrs Worsham and Reed, 1 on an allied and destruc- 

 tive species in Georgia, has shown that plowing of breeding areas 

 to destroy the eggs, the use of light traps at certain seasons and com- 

 post heap traps during winter, supplemented by distributing poisoned 

 baits consisting of cotton seed meal and arsenicals and the use of 

 sulphur and napthalene as repellents, are the most effective methods 

 of checking the insect. It is probable that similar measures would 

 be of value in any locality where this new European pest becomes 

 troublesome. 



GREENHOUSE PESTS 



Florida fern caterpillar (Eriopus floridensis Guen.) . 

 Caterpillars of this southern species were received in June from Mr 

 L. F. Strickland, nursery inspector, accompanied by the statement 

 that they had ruined over 3000 ferns for Mr F. G. Lewis of Lock- 

 port. The pest displayed a marked preference for the Boston fern 

 and the maiden-hair fern. An examination of conditions showed 

 that the caterpillars fed here and there upon the leaves, eating the 

 fronds in such a way that the plants developed in a very irregular, 

 ragged manner, rendering them totally unsuitable for ornamental 

 purposes. The pinnae of the fronds of the Boston fern are fre- 

 quently eaten off about midway, while the leaflets of the maiden- 

 hair fern may be bitten off or the entire frond severed near the 

 ground. Under greenhouse conditions, breeding is practically 

 continuous throughout the year. 



The full-grown caterpillars are nearly an inch long and vary 

 greatly in appearance, there being two well-marked forms. Both 

 have a moderate sized, reddish brown head. The body of the lighter 

 colored caterpillar is mostly greenish, each segment being plainly 

 marked by a broad, transverse, dark-brown band which extends to 

 the sublateral areas and, in the case of the abdominal segments, is 

 produced as a distinct lateral prolongation almost to the spiracular 

 line; below the spiracles there is a whitish line bordered ventrally 

 by an irregular dark-brown line. The dark caterpillars are nearly 

 uniform, slightly mottled, dark brown, the younger of these with a 

 well-marked, white spiracular line. 



M3a. Exp. Sta. Bui. 101. 



