102 DECIDUOUS FRUIT INSECTS AND INSECTICIDES. 



trees it was found to be a much harder problem to do as effective 

 spraying with arsenicals as on Jonathan, Ben Davis, Maiden Blush, 

 and other varieties that developed their buds early. If the fruit and 

 leaf buds are not much advanced it is very difficult to get the spray 

 mixture where the larvae are actually feeding. The period of hatching 

 of the eggs may be quite prolonged, depending on climatic conditions. 

 During the season of 1912, in the orchards, the eggs were hatching 

 from April 20 to May 9, making a period of 19 days. It should, how- 

 ever, be noted that weather conditions were exceptionally cool after 

 a short warm spell during which the eggs began to hatch. Under more 

 favorable conditions all eggs would probably hatch inside of a week 

 or ten days. On account of the long hatching period spraying against 

 the larva? was found to be very difficult. 



NATURAL ENEMIES. 



Several species of birds have been observed feeding upon the larvae 

 of the fruit-tree leaf-roller. The list is as follows: The bluebird 

 (Sialia si-alis), western robin (Planesticus migratorius propinquus), 

 catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) , red- winged blackbird (Agelaius 

 phceniceus pliainiceus) , orchard oriole (Icterus spurius), kingbird 

 (Tyrannus tyrannus), phoebe (Sayornis phcehe) and English sparrow 

 (Passer domesticus). 



The writer has reared a number of parasitic insects from the larvae 

 and pupae of the leaf -roller, as follows: Pimpla pedalis (Cress.), Ito- 

 plectis conquisitor (Say), Epiurus indigator (Walsh), and Meteorus 

 archips'tdis Vier.; the latter is the same species as that reared from 

 this host by Mr. R. W. Braucher at Bethany Center, N. Y. The fol- 

 io whig Diptera also were reared from this host : Exorista nigripalpis 

 Towns., E. pyste Walk., E. blanda O. S., and E. cJielonise Rond. 



A few insects were found to be predaceous upon the fruit-tree leaf- 

 roller. Calosoma scrutator was taken feeding on the larvae and 

 Notoxus raonodon Fabr. was collected at two different times feeding 

 on the pupae in rolled-up leaves. Formica montanus Emery has also 

 been seen attacking the larvae and pupae. 



A small mite, which Mr. Nathan Banks considers to be a new spe- 

 cies of Erythraeus, was found feeding upon the eggs of the leaf-roller. 

 The mites belonging to this genus are said to be always predaceous, 

 and some of them feed on scale insects. 



METHODS OF CONTROL. 



During the winter of 1911-12 and the spring of 1912 many experi- 

 ments were made at Espanola, N. Mex., and Canon City, Colo., against 

 the fruit-tree leaf-roller. The experimental work will be taken up 

 separately according to the locality in which it was conducted. 



