REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I907 I3 



INJURIOUS INSECTS 



Green striped maple worm 



Anisota ruhicunda Fabr. 



This species was responsible, in a large measure, for the extensive 

 injuries inflicted upon the hard maples in and about Berlin; 

 Rensselaer co., N. Y. during late summer. The caterpillars were 

 so abundant over .considerable areas as to literally defoliate acres 

 of trees besides inflicting much injury upon many others over an 

 extended tract. t 



This outbreak commenced in 1906 and at that time was supposed 

 to be the work of the forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma 

 d i s s t r i a Hiibn., as no specimens were submitted by which its 

 identity could be established. The initial outbreak occurred in a 

 sugar bush a short distance north of Center Berlin, and in 1906 a 

 number of acres were defoliated in this section. The injury in 

 1907 was first reported to this oflice August 12, at which time some 

 sugar orchards had been stripped of their leaves and others were 

 badly infested by the caterpillars. A personal investigation of the 

 conditions September 14 showed that this insect had been abundant 

 over an area ranging from the vicinity of Stephentown through 

 North Stephentown, South Berlin and north of Berlin Center, the 

 greatest injury being inflicted in the vicinity of the last named vik 

 lage. The first signs of the infestation were observed a little to the 

 north of Stephentown, on small roadside sugar maples, some of 

 which had lost most of the foliage on the upper branches, while the 

 smallest trees were nearly denuded of leaves. This attack, for some 

 inexplicable reason, appeared to be confined almost entirely' to the 

 smaller trees, as not a few large sugar maples along the roadside 

 were exempt from injury. The hills to the east of the road from 

 Stephentown north, showed evidence here and there of extended 

 feeding, while at North Stephentown large tracts were nearly 

 defoliated. Just north of Center Berlin one sugar bush of some 

 six or more acres had been entirely stripped and at the time of our 

 visit the trees were throwing out new leaves [pi. i, fig. 2], It is 

 worthy of note that this species has been recorded by Miss Patch 

 as defoliating maples in certain localities in Maine during 1907. 

 Previous outbreaks by this insect have been limited to but one or 



