INSECTS AFFECTING PARK AND WOODLAND TREES 



699 



Black-horned tree cricket 



Oecanthus nigricornis W alker 



This tree cricket may be recognized by its dark or nearly black antennae, the black 

 markings on the basal joints as illustrated in figure 222, and by the rufous and dark mark- 

 ings upon the head and abdomen. It is somewhat variable in coloring, though possessing 

 a characteristic appearance. 



This species occurred in small numbers on hard pine at Karner in 1901, 

 and was as abundant as any other species of this genus in that section. 

 Adults were taken in August and September, and the species is undoubt- 

 edly of some benefit to trees because of its predaceous habits, 

 though shrubs, particularly those with soft wood, may be 

 injured to a considerable extent by the deposition of eggs. 

 This insect was noticed by Dr Fitch in 1856, who states that 

 it is almost as common as the snowy tree cricket (Oecan- 

 thus n i v e u s DeG.), and who treated of it under the name 

 of O. fasciatus DeGeer. This species occurs from the lat- Fig - 222 ° ecan - 



thusnigri. 



ter part of July till frost, along roadsides and in open fields, corni s - under - 



r J J & f > side of basal 



according to Mr Beutenmuller, who considers it one of the most antennal se s- 



ments (After Beu- 



common in the vicinity of New York city. Professor Bruner tenmulle «s Am - 



J J Mus. Nat. Hist. 



states that it is almost as abundant in Nebraska as the snowy Bul - ' 94) 

 tree cricket, and that it is a frequenter of meadows and may be found 

 among weeds and grasses, depositing eggs as a rule, in weed stems. Pro- 

 fessor Lugger considers it a very common form in Minnesota. It is 

 interesting to note that it occurs in Mississippi, where Mr W. H. Ashmead 

 detected a small parasite, Antigaster mirabilis Walsh ovipositing 

 in the cricket's eggs. 



Bibliography 



1894 Beutenmuller, Wm. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. Bul. 6: 270 



Four-spotted tree cricket 



Oecanthus quadripunctatiis Beutm. 

 This species occurs in small numbers during early fall on hard pine at 

 Karner. It has been recorded from Ithaca, Staten Island and a number of 



