REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR KJI4 57 



festation is at present so limited that there is a possibility of ex- 

 terminating the borer. 



The maple and oak primer, a rather common enemy of oaks, in 

 particular, has been unusually abundant and injurious, especially 

 in the lower Hudson valley and, as a consequence, many inquiries 

 have been received concerning this insect and methods of control. 



The large European hornet, Vespa crabro Linn., became 

 established in this country several years ago, and during the last 

 year or two has attracted notice by its habit of removing the bark 

 from small, living twigs or branches, birches suffering in particular. 

 Ordinarily this damage does not amount to much, though it might 

 be considered serious in the case of specimen trees or shrubs on 

 lawns. 



Garden and greenhouse pests. The large, brilliantly colored 

 Say's blister beetle, Pomphopoea sayi Lee, has again at- 

 tracted notice because of its unusual abundance in various localities 

 in the State. A brief warning notice was issued. One of the 

 noteworthy features of the outbreak was the threatened destruction 

 of the yield from an acre of beans. 



Another unusual outbreak was that of the Juniper plant bug, 

 Chlorochroa uhleri Stal., a stout, greenish, pink-margined 

 stink bug which became excessively abundant and injurious at 

 Quaker Street, Schenectady county. These bugs, ordinarily rare, 

 were so numerous as to destroy many of the young peas while 

 still in the pod and seriously affect the yield of several garden crops. 

 A study of this insect was made in connection with the outbreak. 



The orchid Isosoma, I. orchid earum Westw., is rarely 

 brought to the attention of the economic entomologist, partly because 

 of its scarcity and probably also on account of the fact that orchid 

 growing is a highly specialized and therefore fairly well under- 

 stood business. Pseudobulbs of orchids infested with this insect 

 were received from Mount Kisco last July, and later in the season 

 orchid roots infested with the Cattleya midge, Pa rale Hod i- 

 plosis cattleyae Moll., were transmitted .by another person. 

 Both of these insects affect the vitality of the plants. 



Flies and mosquitos. The interest in the control of the house 

 fly has continued, and early in the season the Entomologist prepared 

 a brief folder concerning the house fly. This was widely circulated 

 in a monthly bulletin of the State Department of Health, and also 

 issued separately. 



Practical control of mosquitos has received its due share of at- 

 tention, the Entomologist personally investigating a peculiar problem 



