Insects Attacking the Pecan 165 



made into a thin soupy paste with water and stirred into 

 the lime solution. This mixture is then made up to fifty 

 gallons with water, at Avhich time it is ready to be applied. 

 The lime is added to the mixture to neutralize any free ar- 

 senical acid which may be present in the arsenate of lead and 

 prevent burning or injury to the foliage of the trees. If 

 two pounds of fish-oil soap are added to each fifty gallons of 

 the arsenate of lead spray mixture, the spreading and ad- 

 hesive qualities will be improved. The effectiveness of ar- 

 senate of lead spray in the control of the pecan leaf case- 

 bearer depends very largely on the thoroughness of the 

 application. 



PECAN NUT CASE-BEARER (Plate IX) 



(Acrobasis liehescclla^ Hulst.) 



The nut case-bearer is the most important insect attacking 

 pecans west of the Mississippi River, where it is native and 

 most prevalent. It has, however, invaded a large percentage 

 of the orchards in the southeastern part of the United States, 

 and in many sections is a strong rival of the pecan leaf case- 

 bearer in the heavy damages wrought. The loss due to this 

 insect is somewhat difficult to determine and varies from one 

 year to the next. Some years there is almost a total destruc- 

 tion of the crop, and at other times the loss is very slight. 

 A greater part of the loss attributed to frost in the past has 

 been due to this insect. 



The adult is a small gray moth with a wing expanse of 

 five-eighths inch. It flies only at night and is not attracted to 

 lights. The moth is about the same color as the bark of the 

 tree and is also very secretive. On that account it is seldom 

 or never seen and is extremely difficult for even an ento- 



