494 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Woolly Plant Louse. (Country Gentleman, for July 20, 1893, 

 lviii, p. 558, c 3 — H cm.) 



An aphis infesting maple leaves in Red Bank, N. J., is Pemphigus aceri- 

 folii Riley — a rather rare species usually. From the downy secretion 

 enveloping it, it is difficult to reach it with insecticides. A strong solution 

 of whale-oil soap should be effectual in destroying it. 



The Walnut Span-Worm. (Gardening, for August 15, 1893, i, 



p. 377, c. 2 — 8 cm.) 



A "brown worm" infesting and injuring black walnut trees in Kansas 

 City is probably Boarmia plumigeraria Hulst — one of the Geometrida3. It 

 has recently come into notice as a walnut-tree pest in some localities in the 

 Western States. As yet no better remedy is known than spraying with 

 Paris green or London purple in water. 



How to Control the Squash-bug. (Gardening, for August 15, 



1893, i, p. 377-8, c. 3, 1 — 16 cm.) 



To inquiry from Lowell, Mass., answer is made that this pest may best be 

 controlled by trapping and killing the hibernating individuals when they 

 come abroad for oviposition, for which directions are given. Additional 

 remedies are, destroying the eggs and newly-hatched bugs and protecting the 

 stalks with a mixture of ashes and salt. A preventive is said to be ashes or 

 dry earth with a few drops of spirits of turpentine, sprinkled over the plants. 



Humming-Bird Moth. (Country Gentleman, for August 17, 



1893, lviii, p. 634, c. 1 — 10 cm.) 



Moths, the characteristic features of which are given, are identified as the 

 Sesia uniformis of former authors. How they resemble humming-birds in 

 their flight and manner of taking their food, is stated. [The species is now 

 listed as Hemaris Thy she var. ruficaudus.\ 



Bag- Worm. (Country Gentleman, for August 17, 1893, lviii, 

 p. 634, c. 2 — 8 cm.) 



A " cocoon" taken from a locust in Buckland, Va., is the case of the bag- 

 worm or basket- worm, Thyridopteryx ephemerceformis — a common insect in 

 the Southern States. Its case serves for larval protection, for pupation and 

 oviposition — the female never leaving it. When injurious from abundance 

 the caterpillars may be destroyed by hand-picking and burning or by spray- 

 ing with Paris green and water. 



Grain-Weevil. (Country Gentleman, for August 31, 1893, lviii, 



p. 674, c. 3 — 10 cm.) 



For killing the weevil infesting bins of wheat of one thousand bushels each, 

 in Williamsport, Ind., bisulphide of carbon is recommended for evaporation 

 in open vessels on the top of the grain, using a pound and a half to each ton 

 of grain if the bins are tight at sides and bottom. The operation of the 

 u Tracy House," used for killing the bean-weevil, is described and suggested 

 for use when large amounts of grain are to be treated for the weevil or other 

 |^ stored grain pests. 



