It shows a marked partiality for the sweet table varieties, of which it 

 destroyed in the gardens around .St. Louis between 25 and o ( > per cent 

 of the ears. 



The Tineidi as well as the Larger Lepidoptera contribute their full 

 quota of species injurious to growing vegetation, in addition to those that 

 prey upon stored grain and household property. Among the former the 

 Box-elder Gracilaria Ghraoilaria negundella) was exceedingly abundant 

 during- the past season in this locality, the Leaves of the favorite Bhade 

 tree upon which it feeds being thickly spotted with its preliminary mines 

 and having almost every lobe turned down to form the three-cornered 

 tent, within which the larva feeds after its first molt. Many of the 

 cocoonets of the latest brood were parasitized, however, and it may not 

 another season i>rove so disfiguring to the n < < 



ADDITIONAL INJURIOUS INSECTS. 



The Osage Orange Pykalid 



(Loxoslege maclura Riley.) 



Among the insects that are to be recorded for the first time with 

 " noxious species" the one named above has, in this section of the 

 country, acquired especial prominence. 



Its work was first observed upon the hedges of Kirkwood and vicin- 

 ity in the autumn of 1890. where for a few yards in a place the t 

 and branches appeared nearly dennded of foliage. Examination failed 

 to reveal the author of the mischief, and it was attributed to some 

 Orthopteron, especially to those of the Tree Cricket family. The fol- 

 lowing year its ravages were seen on all the hedges of the county, 

 greatly impairing their beauty. Late in summer the pest was dis- 

 covered, and the habits by which it had so long eluded my search 

 brought to light. During the present year iis work has been increas- 

 ingly destructive, and unless concerted action is taken for its extermina- 

 tion the hedges of the Mississippi Valley will no longer be either orna- 

 mental or useful. 



The depredator is a small, glassy, pale green caterpillar, more or less 

 gregarious, especially during the first larval stages. It is the young 

 of a rather inconspicuous Pyralid moth, new to this region, if not to 

 science, which maybe popularly described as follows: 



Expanse of wings nearly seven-eighths inch, or i't ■. Fore- wings satiny in tex- 

 ture, of a pale brownish-gray color, sometimes, wheE the insect i- perfectly fresh, 

 faintly tinged with green or roseate, and always crossed by three curving, vi 

 interrupted, dusky lines ; the outer margin back of the very short white fi 

 being also dark. Hind-wings similar in color to the fore-wings, l>ut thinner, without 

 the dart cross lines, bul \\ ith dusky Bhadinga on the lower edges. Body, brownish- 

 gray aix.vc. satiny white beneath. Sead narrow, with projecting, beak-like palpi. 

 margined with \\ hite, very Long tongue, large hemispherical eyesof a mottled, dark- 

 brown color, and Blender, tapering, threadlike antennie three-fourths the length of 

 the wings. The abdomen is verj Blender, and somewhat oonstrioted or laterally 

 compressed, with long terminal joint upturned. Legs long, of a glistening white 

 color. 



