REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I915 9 



equally true of the western part of the State. Examinations in 

 several infested and unsprayed orchards in the town of Schodack 

 show a decrease in the infestation compared with that of two years 

 ago. The reduction is probably attributable in large measure to 

 the activities of various small parasites. The condition of most of 

 these infested trees, however, is not entirely satisfactory, and although 

 the damage resulting from scale infestation is much less, we do not 

 consider that this justifies the abandonment of dormant applications 

 for the control of this pest. 



Apple maggot, generally known in New England as the rail- 

 road worm on account of the irregular, brown, sometimes rotting 

 channels caused by the maggots in the flesh or pulp of the fruit, is 

 becoming locally abundant in some fruit-growing sections in the 

 Hudson valley. The attention of the Entomologist was called to 

 some very badly infested trees this season and it is evident, should 

 this condition continue, that active, repressive measures must be 

 adopted for the control of the pest. 



Red bugs. The two red bugs, as shown by more extended observa- 

 tions the past season, are both widely distributed in the Hudson 

 valley, and where unchecked have frequently seriously damaged the 

 apple crop. The lined red bug appears to be more numerous though 

 the other species is sometimes abundant. Practical work during the 

 past summer has demonstrated the efficacy of a tobacco application 

 just before the blossoms open. 



Pear thrips. The erratic and sometimes complete destruction of 

 the pear crop by this new pest has continued here and there in the 

 Hudson valley. It was especially serious the past season because 

 an early and extremely warm period caught many growers unaware 

 and gave the thrips an opportunity to enter the blossoms. This 

 was followed by comparatively cool weather accompanied by a slow 

 development of the leaves and flowers, a condition favorable for 

 severe damage by insects which might have gained entrance to the 

 buds during the warm weather. Observations show that this attack 

 may be very sudden and trees apparently free from thrips one day 

 may be infested by large numbers the next, this even occurring in 

 orchards where the pest was practically unknown the preceding 

 season. 



Pear psylla. Serious injury by this insect has prevailed in some 

 Hudson valley orchards, though the outbreaks were usually very 

 limited and were, as shown by observations of the preceding year, 

 frequently closely related to unusually favorable winter shelters, 

 such as nearby brush heaps, fences or stone walls and their accom- 

 panying weedy growths. 



