150 [Assembly, 



Guen. The caterpillar is described, and its injuries in Wiscon- 

 sin, its habits, the transformation of the insect, and the general 

 features of the moth, stated. As the best remedy for the attack, 

 cutting out the borer is recommended, and as a preventive, not 

 permitting the insect to mature within the withered stalks. 



A Maple-Tree Pruner — Elaphidion sp. (The Country Gentle- 

 man for September 9, 1886, li, p. 677, c. 2-4 — 76 cm.) 



Twigs of maple cut off in a transverse section by an internal 

 borer, at Pawling, Dutchess county, N. Y., are sent with the 

 statement that some ornamental maples are being seriously dis- 

 figured by the attack. The borer, from its operations, is recog- 

 nized as an Elaphidion^ and probably villosum or parallelum. 

 The former, the " oak pruner," usually attacks oaks. Elaphidion 

 attack on maples is mentioned only by Dr. Le Baron. The 

 method of burrowing of the larva is stated and reference is 

 made to Dr. Pitch's account and to figures. Speculations on 

 the object lor excising the twigs. Destruction of the larvae by 

 its enemies. The burrowed twigs received, described. Trans- 

 formations of the insect. Remedy for attack — collecting and 

 burning fallen twigs with their contained insects. [Proves to be 

 Elaphidion parallelum Newm.] 



[Myriads of Minute Insects in the Air.] (The Albany Evening 

 Journal for September 9, 1886, p. 4, c. 1 — 10 cm.) 



The insects were not observed in flight by the writer, although 

 they attracted so much attention, but from examples received 

 they are identified as Aphis granaria, the species so destructive 

 to grain crops in New York and New England in 1861. Their 

 present appearance may be explained by the unusual prevalence 

 of plant-lice, this year, in New York. The hop crop has been 

 destroyed, the apple crop reduced three-fourtns, potato fields 

 attacked, and other crops not previously infested have been 

 injured by them. 



Apple-Tree Pest and Parasite. (The Country Gentleman for 

 September 16, 1886, li, p. 695, c. 1 — 18 cm.) 



Caterpillars submitted from Annapolis, Md., are the red- 

 humped apple-tree caterpillar, (Edemasia concinna (Sm.-Abb.). 

 All the larvae received are infested with a parasite, Limneria 

 fugitiva (Say), which uses the outer skin of the caterpillar for 

 its cocoon, changing it to a white color, and otherwise present- 

 ing a very strange appearance. The same parasitic cocoon was 

 also received from Virginia. This parasite displays a fondness 

 lor the Bombycidce larvae — seven other species of Bombycids 

 are mentioned which it infests. 



