ATTACKING THE FLOWERS. 149 



ATTACKING THE PLOWEES. 



No. 73. — The Pear-tree Blister-beetle. 



Pomphopoea aenea (Say). 



Tliis is a greenish-blue or brassy-looking beetle, rather 

 more than half an inch long (see Fig. 155), with head and 

 thorax punctated and somewhat hairy, the wing- 

 cases roughened and with two slightly-elevated ^^^' l^^- 

 lines. 



These beetles have been found injurious to pear- 

 blossoms both in Michigan and in Pennsylvania. 

 They begin their work by devouring the corolla, 

 then the pistil and calyx, and a portion of tlie 

 forming fruit, but are said to avoid the stamens. 

 They will occasionally eat small portions of the tender foliage, 

 and are usually most abundant on the tops of the trees and 

 about the extremities of the limbs. They also attack the 

 blossoms of the cherry, plum, and quince, but have not been 

 observed on the apple or peach. 



This pest is easily controlled. On jarring the trees they 

 drop at once to the ground, aiid if taken in the cool of the 

 morning are very sluggish in their movements. Later in 

 the day, in the heat of the sun, they become much more 

 active, and fly readily. 



ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 



No. 74. — The Pear-tree Leaf-miner. 



Lithocolletis geminafella Packard. 



The larva of this insect mines the leaves of the pear, and 

 also those of the apple. It is very small, of a pale-reddish 

 color, with a black head and a black patch on the upper part 

 of the next segment. In Fig. 156 it is shown magnified. It 



