REPORT 



OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I906 57 



destructive enemy of European elms, in particular, has been abnor- 

 mally abundant m certain sections. It was reported as bemg quite 

 destructive at Oyster Bay, Ossining, Fort Edward and Ithaca, while 

 personal observations show that it inflicted serious mjuries to 

 many elms in Albany and Troy. Most of the damage in the latter 

 places followed the relaxation of repressive measures, due to the 

 erroneous idea that the insect was well under control and therefore 

 capable of inflicting relatively little harm. Trees which received 

 timely appUcations of arsenical poisons were practically exempt 

 from injury, while others, which in some sections were in the large 

 majority, lost a very high percentage of their foliage, some being 

 nearly stripped. The experience of recent years has demonstrated 

 the practicability of controlling this insect in cities and villages. 

 A summarized detailed account of this insect has been prepared 

 and vv^ill be issued in a forthcoming bulletin. 



Fall webworm (Hyphantria textor Harr.). This well 

 known species has been less abundant than usual as a rule, though 

 larvae were received from different sections of the State from the 

 latter part of August to the middle of September. The caterpiUars, 

 however, were in no instance excessively abundant. This species 

 is easily controlled by removing the conspicuous nests and crushing 

 the caterpillars within them, or by timely applications of an ar- 

 senical poison. T-- ^ 

 False maple scale (Phenacoccus acericola King). 

 This species appears to be establishing a claim as one of the serious 

 pests of the hard maple in New York "State, since it has been quite 

 injurious to trees in the vicinity of New York city, in particular, 

 during the past four or five years. It was very abundant last 

 summer at Port Chester, Middletown, and probably m other villages 

 in the southern part of the State. It may be distinguished at once 

 from the better known cottony maple scale by the fact that it occurs 

 mostly on the foliage, the males making minute cottonlike cocoons 

 on the trunk. These latter are frequently so close to each other as 

 to give the infested tree an appearance of having been whitewashed. 

 There are probably three generations of this destructive species m 

 New York State. The young winter upon the trunk, begmmng 

 activities with the approach of warm weather, the second brood 

 hatches in June and the third in August. The best method of 

 controlling this species is in all probability by thorough spraying 

 with a wliale oil soap solution or a kerosene emulsion when the 

 minute, yellowish young are crawling in abundance upon the leaves 

 This can be easily determined by a little observation. Whale oil 



