REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I905 



95 



bubble of air into the fluid with its spoon-shaped extremity. This 

 is continued till the little spittle insect is completely enveloped with 

 a mass of froth which undoubtedly protects its soft tender body 

 from the drying atmosphere and is probably of some service in 

 warding off natural enemies, though certain wasps are known to 

 search out these frog hoppers, taking them from their slimy sur- 

 roundings for the purpose of provisioning their nests. 



The general appearance of a spittle insect is easily ascertained 

 by parting the frothy matter, when a stout, blunt headed, pale 

 greenish or straw-colored hopper less than l /\ inch long is revealed. 

 The parents differ from the young only in being slightly larger, of 

 a pale green or brown color and with well developed wing covers. 



The injury to plants infested is directly proportional to the amount 

 of sap withdrawn, and while these insects are occasionally quite 

 abundant the damage is rarely serious. There is no practical 

 method of controlling them in grass lands because the expense 

 would amount to more than the value of the crop. 



Shade tree insects 



White marked tussock moth (Hemeroc a m pa leuco- 

 stigma Abb. & Sm.). This well known insect more frequently 

 comes to attention because of its depredations on shade and other 

 trees within the confines of the city than on account of injuries 

 inflicted on fruit trees. It has been unusually destructive in a 

 number of our principal cities, defoliating thousands of trees in 

 Buffalo, Lockport, Geneva, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and Brook- 

 lyn and undoubtedly causing more or less injury in some other 

 cities and villages. This species occasionally produces a partial 

 second brood in the latitude of Albany, Rochester and Buffalo, 

 though our observations show that in these cities the number of 

 caterpillars appearing late in the summer are so very few that they 

 may be ignored as a rule. The devastations of this pest are more or 

 less periodical, being governed largely by the activity of its numer- 

 ous natural enemies. The caterpillar succumbs readily to timely 

 application of arsenical poisons and the conspicuous white egg 

 masses deposited upon the flimsy cocoons are very easily removed 

 from infested trees. This species can be controlled with so little 

 difficulty that we must attribute the stripping of so many shade 

 trees to indifference or neglect. 



Fall webworm (Hyphantria text or Harr.). This very 

 common leaf feeder well known as a pest of. fruit, shade and 

 forest trees, may be easily recognized by its large filmy white 

 nests or tents inclosing the foliage on the tips of limbs. The 



