44 



eggs, from two to three hundred or more, in crevices of bark. I found 

 them in large numbers together, thrust deep into a place where one of 

 the branches had broken off. The young larvae soon made their ap- 

 pearance and in want of leaves began to feed upon buds and blossoms, 

 and later on, as I have repeatedly observed on apple trees, upon the 

 young fruit also. Within about 24 days these larvae become full grown 

 and enter the ground for pupation to remain in this state for nearly 11 

 months. If only one or two early broods occur upon a single or- 

 dinary tree, they will, in some cases, destroy most if not all the fruit 

 buds before any leaves appear. The light green, white, variegated, and 

 striped larvae at rest on the under side of leaves during the daytime 

 are not, especially by an untrained eye, very readily discovered, and 

 hence are overlooked and the more innocent bird is made responsible 

 for the damage done. 



During April, 1888, when I had a brood of these larvae in confine- 

 ment at Alameda, a common titmouse, Loplwplianes inornatus Gamb., 

 was noticed flying constantly to an old apple tree and carrying off 

 dozens of these very larvae to a hollow tree uot far distant, within 

 which it had a nest with six young. These birds are quite plentiful 

 at this time of the year and are the only enemy of this larva as yet 

 observed. None of the numerous larvae collected the present year 

 appear to be parasitized. 



By jarring the trees in the early morning these larvae, especially the 

 larger, will fall to the ground, and can readily be collected and destroyed. 

 If the tree be only slightly shaken, all the mature larvae will drop. 



Galoptenus devastator, so well remembered since its outbreak in 1885, 

 has again been on the increase the present season and is quite abun- 

 dant in Sonoma County as well as around Alameda, where Gamnula pel- 

 lucida was equally as numerous. Aside from complaints in Sonoma 

 County others were heard of in Yolo County. I quote from the Wood- 

 laud Democrat of September 11, 1890 : 



For the past few weeks our farmers have been watching their alfalfa crops very 

 closely. The Army Worm arid the Grasshopper are both here, although not in such 

 quantities as in the early days. In some cases the crops in young vineyards have 

 been entirely destroyed by them. C. Eakle lost all his grapes by the grasshoppers 

 and others have shared a like fate. In other cases the alfalfa crops have fared badly 

 from the effects of the worm and the hopper. Mrs. P. Hannum had saved some alfalfa 

 for seed, but the worm attacked it, and she was obliged to cut it for hay in order to 

 save any of it. Mr. Hopkins, we understand, was caught in the same predicament, 

 while the pastures of those who have lately irrigated and where the clover is just 

 beginning to grow nice and green are full of the hoppers, and the worms have also 

 attacked many others. 



As yet no specimens from the above locality can be obtained, but it 

 is more than likely that the injury was caused by several species and 

 the Devastating Locust among them. One favorable season, however, 

 should no parasites appear, would again show a marked increase in 

 destructive numbers, and local outbreaks may be expected the coining 

 summer. 



