Vol. I, No. 2.] INSECT LIFE. [August, 18§8. 



THE YELLOW-SPOTTED WILLOW-SLUG. 



{Nematiis ventralis Say.) 



[Order Hymenoptera: Family Tentiiredinid^.] 



By L. O. Howard. 



WILLOW AND WILLOW WARES. 



The willow ware industry has been slowly increasing in our Eastern 

 States of late years, but is as yet in its infancy. The immense unutil- 

 ized areas of land along our many rivers, portions of tbe sea coast, and 

 of some uplands and prairies not suitable for any other agricultural 

 pursuit, invite capital and energy to invest in the production of osier, 

 chiefly for the manufactury of basket ware. According to the census 

 of 1880 there were in the country 304 willow-ware establishments, with 

 a capital of $1,852,917, engaging 3,119 hands, paying annually the sum 

 of $057,405 for wages, and producing $1,992,851. The value of mate- 

 rials consumed was $867,031, of which, however, but a portion was pro- 

 duced here. The importation of both raw and manufactured material 

 will be greatly reduced, and the demand for willow ware materially in- 

 creased if the profit to be derived from a systematic production of osier 

 becomes once better generally understood. 



The various species of willows, including those with tough twigs suit- 

 able for basket making, are greatly affected by insects, and one of the 

 worst is this slug or saw-fly, observations upon which have been re- 

 corded in past years by Professor Eiley in the New York Tribune for 

 July 13, 1872, while his note-books contain records of many observations 

 made in subsequent years. The following statements are drawn up 

 from these notes and from others made by Mr. Lugger and myself dur- 

 ing the summer of 1887: 



NATURAL HISTORY, 



If not checked by natural or artificial remedies, six or seven broods of 

 this insect are possible in the Central and Southern States. Our rec- 

 ords for 1886 show that these flies were abundant and depositing eggs 

 4238— No. 2 -1 33 



