682 



Insect, Fungus and other Pests. [feb., 



Moths. — A specimen of the pupa of the Puss Moth (Cerura 

 vinula) was received from Manchester. This moth gives rise 

 to large caterpillars which feed on the 

 Notes on Insect, leaves of willows and osiers, and may 



Fungus and Other occasionally cause considerable damage. 

 Pests.* Caterpillars of the Goat Moth (Leaflet 



No. 60) were reported as doing much 

 damage to pear trees near Newbury. A short note on this 

 moth appeared in the January (1908) Journal, p. 620. 



Beech Coccus. — The Felted Beech Coccus (Cryptococcus fagi) 

 has been reported from Longfield (Kent), Chichester, High 

 Wycombe, Northampton, Penn (Bucks), and Gerrard's Cross 

 (Bucks). (See Leaflet No. 140.) 



Aphides. — Specimens of privet received from Derby late 

 in December, were found to have been infested by aphides. 

 The Aphis (Rhopalosiphum) ligustri is known to attack privet 

 in Great Britain, but there is no account of its life history. 

 (Treatment for aphides will be found in Leaflet No. 104.) 



Gooseberry bushes received from Topham, Devon, were 

 found to have had the tips of the shoots primarily injured by 

 aphides, thus enabling the fungus Sclerotinia fructigena to 

 gain a foothold. It was recommended that the shoots should 

 all be pruned back for 6 in. and the prunings burnt. Goose- 

 berry specimens from Glanton, (Northumberland), were also 

 infested by aphides (see Leaflet No. 68). 



Red Spider. — Specimens of apple trees from St. Mary Cray, 

 Kent, and from Buxton were found to be covered with the 

 eggs of the Red Spider (see Leaflet No. 41). 



Winter Washing of Fruit Trees. — During the next few 

 weeks winter- washing of fruit trees (see Leaflet No. 70) should 

 take place, this process having an excellent effect in cleaning 

 the trees of moss, lichens, and rough bark, thus destroying the 

 winter quarters of many noxious insects. 



Winter washing with a caustic wash may also destroy many 

 hibernating insects, together with eggs, which would otherwise 

 later on be the source of much damage to the trees. 



A wash composed of the following materials has been found 



* Notes on insect, fungus and other pests, dealing with the specimens submitted 

 to the Board for identification, and their apparent prevalence, will appear in this 

 Journal month by month. The notes commenced with the issue for June, 1907. 



