February', '15] blakeslee: prevextixg injury by peach borer 103 



Macrosiphum granaria Kirby 



The eggs of this species are deposited upon rosebushes in the fall. 

 Early in the summer the migrants go to oats and wheat, and probably 

 to some other grains and grasses. 

 Macrosiphum dirhodum Walker 



This species, like the preceding, has the rose as a winter host, and 

 goes to the grains and grasses during the summer. 



It seems a surprising thing that, after so much study of the life hab- 

 its "of the Aphididse, there are still so many species having the habit 

 of alternating their annual host plants, where only one of the winter 

 hosts is knowm. There is still abundant opportunity for much good 

 research work along this line. 



President H. T. Ferxald: We will now take up a paper, the 

 title of which failed to be printed on the program, by Mr. E. B. 

 Blakeslee. 



A MECHANICAL PROTECTOR FOR PREVENTING INJURY 

 BY THE PEACH BORER 



By E. B. Blakeslee, Washington, D. C. 

 (Abstract) 



This paper briefly discussed the feeding habits and behavior of 

 newly hatched peach borer larvae. The point was emphasized that, 

 in addition to the fact that large numbers of eggs are deposited about 

 the crown of the tree, larvae hatching from eggs deposited on trunk and 

 branches instinctively migrate downward and begin their work below 

 the surface of the soil. When an impenetrable barrier was placed at 

 the crown of the tree, the larvae made no attempt to enter above it. 

 By the use of a cone-shaped tarred paper protector, extending out for 

 eight inches to one foot from the base of the tree, and sealed with a vis- 

 cous substance, it was found possible to entirely exclude the larvae 

 from the tree. The protectors were cut out in circular form with, a 

 hole in the center somewhat larger than the trunks to which they were 

 to be applied. To serve as a support for the protector the earth was 

 pulled up to the tree, slightly, making a small mound, the base of 

 which was slightly below and the top slightly above the surface of 

 the ground. The protectors were then brought tightly about the tree 

 and fastened, the contact with the tree and the laps coated with a 

 sticky sealing material and the earth pulled back over the edges. 

 Field experiments showed that these protectors were able to maintain 



