214 



IKJUKIOUS INSECTS 



THE SNOWY TREE-CRICKET. 



{CEcanthus niveus, Harris.) 



The Snowy Tree-Cricket, fig. 134, prefers the canes of 

 the RasiDberry for its eggs to the twigs of other shrubs or 

 trees. It will, however, use the Grape, 

 Willow, Peach, and other kinds, if 

 Raspberries are not convenient. The 

 long, slender eggs are deposited in a 

 close compact row, an inch or more 

 in length, each egg placed at a slight 

 angle, and deep enough to reach the o^T 

 pith of the cane or twig in which it 

 is set (fig. 135). This weakens the 



Fig. 134.— SNOWY TREE-CRICKET {(Ecan^ 

 thus niveus.) 



canes, and they are often broken off 

 by the wind. This injury does not 

 amount to much, but the perfect 

 insect has a very bad habit of cutting 

 off leaves in summer; and sometimes 

 extends its mischievous work to the ^ 

 grape-vine, trimming off both leaves ^. 



^ . • 1 J. 1 ^^Sf. 135.— EGGS OF 



and fruit, workmg at night vmen per- snoVt tree-cricket. 

 fectly safe from observation or moles- '^'ESs'^wiliiki s?em;Ti:gg 

 tation. One of my correspondents in ^^^^^^^^'^ 

 Texas wrote me, a few years ago, that one of these pests 

 would completely defoliate a young grape-vine in a sin- 

 gle night, and he was a long time in discerning the 

 successful nocturnal pruner, and when discovered he was 

 at a loss how to circumvent it. Destroying the eggs is 

 the only way thus far known of fighting this insect. 



