16 



what periodical, and though much harm is done, rendering the trees 

 unsightly, it happens just before the falling of the leaves.* 



NEW INJURIOUS INSECTS OF A YEAR.t 



By C. V. Riley. 



It is a common remark of members of this society, as well as of other 

 horticultural societies, the meetings of which I have attended, that 

 their insect enemies are on the increase. In one sense this is undoubt- 

 edly true, i. €., the number of insects affecting our fruits as well as our 

 other crops constantly grows as our knowledge of them becomes more 

 and more complete; but I question whether more injury is done today 

 to our fruits than was done fifty years or a hundred years ago. In 

 fact, it is patent that with the advances made of late years in our 

 methods of warfare against these fi^uit pests less injury relatively is 

 done, but as the area of fruit culture increases so does the aggregate of 

 injury and also the number of species that we have to contend with. It 

 may convey to you some idea of the vastness of the subject of economic 

 entomology for a country as great as ours to give a bare reference to 

 the reports which have come to me within the year or since your last 

 meeting, of insect injury, which is either quite novel or made by species 

 that have hitherto been absolutely unknown. 



A small mite, an un described species of Phytoptus, has been reported 

 on Plum, making a gall on the leaf, from Akron, Ohio, and from 

 Pompanoosuc, Vt. 



A new plant-louse belonging to the genus Myzus was reported on 

 Cherry from southern Indiana. 



* September 14, 1886, we received a large number of larvae of this insect on leaves 

 of the Yellow Birch, most of which were completely skeletonized, from Mr. Shelby 

 Reed, mentioned in Dr. Lintner's note cited above. Some of the larvae had already 

 spun their cocoons, and the moths began to issue January 26, 1887, and continued to 

 make their appearance until March 3, 1887, twenty-seven in all issuing from this lot. 

 September 13, 1890, we received similar skeletonized birch leaves with the same 

 larvae from Mr. F. M. Draper, East Norton, Mass., and, on September 15, others from 

 Mr. William L. Tower, West Bridgewater, Mass. Mr. Draper said in his letter that 

 the birches for miles around had beeu seriously attacked. The leaves were almost 

 completely skeletonized from the under side, and had scattered over their surface 

 numerous pseudo-cocoons of white silk, which contained the cast skin of the Buccu- 

 latrix larva, these seemingly having thus protected themselves during their molting 

 periods. The true cocoons were spun a little later and were all of the usual oblong, 

 longitudinally ribbed, yellowish appearance characteristic of this genus of Tineids. 

 The moths issued, as with the specimens from New York, from the following Jan- 

 uary until March. A Chalcidid parasite of the genus Derostenus was reared from the 

 New York specimens March 3, 1887. Judging from Mr. Drapers account, this insect 

 bids fair to become a serious pest, and there seems little hope of being able to sug- 

 gest any economical and effective remedy except in the case of isolated ornamental 

 trees. — Eds. Insect Life. 



t From a paper read before the American Pomoloaical Society, September, 1891. 



