Insects, etc., Injur ions to the Pear. 



345 



fasliioned kind called tlie " PToney " a.iid BeiuTC Easter, wdiilst Glou 

 Moreeau and L'oinice are Imt rarely invaded. 



In some places it is only a tree liere and there that is attacked ; 

 in otliers, as at Keigate, JMr. Eagg informs me every garden in tlie 

 neigldjourhood is sinularly invaded, and that tlie pest appears to liaA'C 

 lieen enjoying itself in the neighliourhood for }'ears, and in manj^ 

 gardens there is scarcely a sound pear (7). 



The I'ear ]Midge does not seem to lurve attracted much attention 

 nntil late years in tliis country. Notice was drawn to it ])y my old 

 friend tlie lie v. E. X. JUoomtield of (I nestling \\'lio liad a iiad attack 

 of it in his garden in l'S87 and 1888 (8), 



]!ut (Jrnierod (ti) says " since 1881! it has liecn a regular pest"; 

 nothing, liowever, was written abiait it of any account until Mr. 

 Bloomheld's paper appieared. 



Kollar (9), quoting Scliniidberger, I'efers to it in Germany in his 

 usual clear and pirecise way, and it seems Dr. Fitcli was acipiainted 

 with it in America in 18d7, in spite of the supposed introduction in 

 1877 from Erance. 



As far as we know the pear only is subject to the attack of 

 this pest. 



The midge varies from -j-^-j- tc 



LiKE-lTiSTDKY, Etc. 



ncli in leugtli. The nuile is dark 

 blackish-grey to almost black ni colmu': the thorax has two faint 

 divergent grey stripes and yellowdsh liairs, which soon become pale; 

 the antenna' are long and lilack and have dull hairs, but they 

 nuiy be yellowish-ln'own ; the abdomen is dark grcyishdjlack 

 with pale hairs and ternunates in a pair of sexual claspers ; wings 

 dusky black covered with black puljcscence and 

 fringed with black hairs on the hind margin ; the 

 halteres are pale yellow, becoming white after death ; 

 letrs yellowishdjrown with dark hairs. The female 

 is much like the male, but is always paler and 

 with a very long extensile ovipositor, which wdien 

 fully extended is as long as or longer than the body. 



The midges hatch out in April aliout the time 

 the pear lilossoms commence to show the first 

 si,Lzns of the white petals, and they continue on 

 the wing until the second week in May. 



The earliest record I have is the 10th of April, the latest the 17th 

 of May. In the north of England this pest occurs much later than 

 in tlie south (2-!). 



