Ill 



The Green-Striped Maple Worm. 



* * * For four years now our soft maples (Acer ruhrum) have been defoliated by 

 a disgusting worm, twice in a season ; and the vitality of the trees has been a good 

 deal weakened. A more systematic warfare has been waged against them this spring 

 than ever before, however, and the indications are that their numbers will be con- 

 siderably reduced. I inclose a local item of mine in relation to them, and also some 

 eggs. — [H. W. Young, publisher Star and Kansan, Independence, Kans., May 31, 

 1887. 



Eeply. * * * Tiie eggs which you send are those of the moth of the Green- 

 striped Maple-worm (Anisota ruhicunda). This insect is not treated in the pam- 

 phlet which I send you but was figured and described io Professor Riley's Fifth An- 

 nual Report on the Insects of Missouri. The newspaper clipping which you inclose 

 as clipped from the Star and Kansan of May 27 is very sensible, and the remedy which 

 is proposed is as good as anything which can be suggested. This hand-picking of 

 the eggs is tedious but satisfactory when done thoroughly, and a spraying with Lon- 

 don purple is also good where the apparatus is easily obtained. In the Missouri re- 

 port just mentioned Dr. Riley recommends that a trench should be dug either around 

 an individual tree or around the grove or belt. The trench should be at least a foot 

 deep, with the outer wall slanting. Great numbers of the worms when about to 

 leave, the tree to transform will collect in this trench or bury themselves in the 

 bottom, and may there be easily killed. The trouble with this remedy is that it de- 

 stroys the worms after the damage has been done, but it w^ill at the same time reduce 

 the numbers of the next generation. — [June 9, 1887.] 



Wheat Saw-Flies. 



The accompanying bottle, contains a grub — found on my wheat. Last year, just 

 before harvest, I found nearly one-half the stalksof wheat had lost their head, which 

 I found lying on the ground just beneath the stalk, uneaten, and I could not imag- 

 ine what had done the mischief. This year I watched more closely ; I discovered this 

 fellow at work. Can you tell what he (or she) is? — [John S. Gittings, Baltimore, 

 Md.. June 6, 1887. 



Reply. — * * * -pj^g worm which is damaging your wheat is the larva of a Saw- 

 fly, which has become quite abundant in the last two years in Ohio, Indiana, Penn- 

 sylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, confining its attacks to wheat and 

 timothy grass. Up to two years ago none of these Saw-flies were known to possess 

 this habit in this country, but this species now bids fair to become quite a pest. The 

 life-history has not been fully made out as yet, and it will be very difficult to suggest 

 a remedy at this time. An agent of the division stationed in Indiana is devoting his 

 time to the study of insects affecting wheat and other grains, and he has been in- 

 structed to pay special attention to this insect. You will probably not be further 

 bothered with them this season, as the majority of them will go in the ground to pu- 

 pate within a few days. A topical remedy, applied to the worms in the field, is out 

 of the question on a large scale, and we can only hope to bring about a destruction 

 of the pupa or the adult insect. ' * * — [June 7, 1887.] 



' * * I have this morning, as per request, placed in a tin box a few worms, with 

 food ; hope they will be received in better order. The fly to which you refer I noticed 

 in large numbers on the wheat some tw@ weeks since. They were larger than the 

 common house-fly, and I think a bluish appearance. I inclose in the box some heads 

 of wheat as I find them on the ground. They are working vigorously now. They do 

 not maliciously cut oft" the head ; it is for the purpose of the better opportunity to sap 

 the stem or eat the stem. They are vigorous feeders, and if their numbers were great 

 would destroy the entire crop ; they are evidently increasing ; more numerous than last 

 year. They can cut a head of wheat off in twenty minutes. They then feed upon 

 the stem for a long time. My impression is each worm destroys at least two heads 



