202 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



deep green, much wrinkled, with one dorsal and two lateral obscure 

 blackish stripes. Anterior segments but slightly larger than the pos- 

 terior ones. 



"By the 1st of May the worms begin maturing and entering the 

 earth, and by about the 1st of June all have entered the ground. En- 

 tering the earth to the depth of an inch or so, a frail earthen cocoon is 

 formed, on the inside of which there is a thin silken lining. Larvse in 

 cocoons formed May 1st have shrunk to one-half of their original 

 length, but up to date (August 22) have not pupated. The shrunken 

 larvae still retain their green color, but the stripes are more distinct, 

 due, no doubt, to the fact that they have been crowded into about one- 

 half their original length." 



In speaking of this saw-fly the writer says : "The larva? of M. ig- 

 nota have infested the strawberry beds on the college grounds [at 

 Ames, Iowa] for several years, feeding on the leaves, and would, if 

 numerous enough, threaten the crop. This has not been the case here 

 [Illinois, Champaign], but reports from other parts of the state say 

 that 'the worms are simply ruining our plants. '" He states further, 

 " As to the geographical distribution of this species, little can be said 

 just now. Among the specimens from which Norton described M y 

 ignofa was one from Illinois, and M. obscurata Cresson [considered 

 as being identical with M. ignota\ from material collected in Colo- 

 rado. 



REMEDIES. 



"The period of greatest abundance of the worms is from about the 

 25th of April to 5th of May, though they begin appearing about the 

 middle of April. Hence most of the worms have hatched before the 

 vines are well in bloom, feed, mature, and again disappear by the last 

 of May, before much fruit has ripened. It will, therefore, be per- 

 fectly safe to apply any of t he arsenical poisons with great efficiency, 

 as early as April 20th to 25th, and with comparative safety about the 

 1st of May."* 



Mr. Malley found but a single insect enemy that preyed upon the 

 worms in large numbers, this was one of the true bugs Coriscus ferus ; 

 no true parasites were reared. 



*I would not advise the too iree use of the arsenites in the destruction of straw- 

 berry insects during the spring, unless sufficient rain falls after the application of 

 the poisons and prior to the ripening of the fruit. Some injury might result to 

 those eating the fruit. 



