desired information was obtained, Mz. Stoddard wrote that the pests had 
largely disappeared, seemingly < as a result of the great concentration of 
birds in the infested area. 
rm an address before the Netional Association of Audobon Societies on 
October 29, 1955, S.A. Rohwer, Assistant Chief of the Burccu of Entomology 
and Plant nee nae. said: 
"Examples of the part birds play in the control of insect pests are 
numerous. More pen 40 species of the native wild birds prey on the-true 
army worm, aud Similar numbers feed on the fall army worm or grass worm of 
the South. i ee of the Bureau of. Entomology and Plant Quarantine 
working in the Southeastern States recently recorded numerous observations 
which indits~e that woodpeckers feed so extensively on the corn earworm, 
removing the worms from the ears before they have penetrated into the grain, 
that in cervain seasons and localities they give 2 fair measure of control. 
In Celifarric enother specialist reports that red-winged blackbirds fed so 
extensively on the valley grasshopper in the Sacramento Valley that the po- 
tential numbers for 1936 were reduced from 15 to 30 percent." 
Raiph C. Hall, of the Buresu of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, and 
three assistant research entonsl sts made a detsiled study of the locust 
borersin the North Central Stestcs from) 1931) th Beene 1957 and concluded that 
"Woodpeckers are Mohan pred.tors of the locust borer larvae in that re- 
gion. In 1957 they were responsibie Tor the removel of 29.4 percent of the 
Spring borer population of the nine-year old Cambridge (Ohio) stand. They 
also removed about 20 percent of the larveé population of two four-year old 
‘Cambridge sprout plots. Locust borer survival was reduced by 20 percent in 
the Cambridge area in 1937 by this predator. This was approximately the same 
as for the pregious three years in the area." In other areas the birds were 
uch less effective. Dr. Hall added that’ "Hairy and downy woodpeckers’ feed 
yaaa upon young larvae in early spring, shortly after inception of spring 
larval activity," al thet for four ycers,they "removed approximately 30 
percent of the active population. In the pre-pupal and pupal stages a cer- 
tein amount of control is exerted by the feeding of red-headed woodpeckerSeee 
It is vossible that they are cven more of 2 control factor farther south 
where they are more abundant." He concluded that parasites are relatively 
insignificant as a control factor afd much less effective than birds. 
Oo 
G& 
bh Jos 
The value of birds in controlling the most destructive insect pests of 
the celery icrop: im theiumicinity, ofiseniord, Flae, is worthy of note. The 
economie importance of celery’ growing in that area. is evidenced by the fact 
that a population of about 20,000 inhebitants depends (directly or indirectly) 
almost solely on that crop as a means of livelihood. Approximately one- 
third of the entire celery crop of the United States is produced on this 
narrow strip of land bordering Lake Monroe and Jessup. During the period 
that the Burceu cf Biological Survey and the Bureau cof Entomology and Plant 
Quarantine were making a cooperative study of the feeding activities of birds 
in that area, more than 2,200,000 crates of celery were harvested annually 
Me MOC. £ Abo casi iinecleone ens of that quantity was produced in thé 
vicinity of Sanford, where it brought pie celery growers from $1.25 to 
$4.25 a crate. 
By far the most destructive insect pest thst damaged the celery crop 
during the period of the study was the celery leaf-tier (Phlyctaenia rubigalis), 
4 
