944 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. V, No. 20 
Johnson (4) reports an extensive outbreak on “fire cherry” (.Prunus 
Pennsylvania) at Ricketts, Wyoming County, Pa., during September, 
1897, the beetles and larvae occurring in immense numbers. 
Chittenden (1) reports outbreaks of this beetle in June, 1898, at St. 
Ignace, Mich., on cherry and at Spruce Creek, Huntington County, Mich., 
on young peach trees. He states that larvae are known to feed on cherry 
and probably also on peach, but mentions no definite records of such 
occurrences on the peach. 
Since the publication of Chittenden’s article, nothing has been recorded 
of this insect, and undoubtedly during all the years since 1898 no injury 
of any consequence has been committed by it. 
OUTBREAKS IN NEW YORK IN 1915 
During the summer of 1915 several severe outbreaks occurred in New 
York, the beetles defoliating cherry, peach (Amygdalus persia ), and 
plum {Prunus spp.). On June 3 Mr. E. P. Putnam, of Jamestown, N. Y., 
wrote the Entomological Department, inclosing specimens of beetles, 
saying that they were defoliating wild cherry and peach trees in the park 
and also reported them as seriously defoliating cherry and peach trees 
throughout the town and neighboring districts. On June 11, Mr. H. B. 
Rogers reported them as injuring cherry and peach and later wrote that 
this beetle had done considerable injury throughout Chautauqua County. 
Reports of injury have been received from the following localities: Sonyea 
(cherry, peach, and plum); Perry, Scio (cherry); Olean, Honeoye Falls 
(cherry); Bath (cherry); Holland (cherry); Collins, Gowanda, Wyoming, 
Batavia (cherry and peach); Perrysburg (cherry); Jamestown (cherry and 
peach); Chautauqua (cherry and peach); Kennedy, Fredonia, Ripley (plum 
and peach); Castile (cherry); Elmira (cherry and peach); Hornell (cherry); 
and Ithaca (cherry and peach). All these reports came during the month 
of June and early in July and nothing has been heard of later injury. 
Evidently the beetles have not bred locally in such numbers that the 
work of the adults would attract attention in August and September. 
The causes which brought about so widespread an outbreak of this 
insect can not at present be determined. Practically all the injury was 
restricted to western and southwestern New York. It has been sug¬ 
gested that the beetles migrated northward from Pennsylvania, but this 
does not seem plausible, as the native host, Prunus Pennsylvania , is a 
northern tree, occurring southward only as far as Pennsylvania and in 
the mountains to North Carolina and Tennessee. Conditions must have 
been favorable for the increase of this beetle in 1914 and hibernation 
must have been attended with little loss of life, resulting in such large 
numbers of the overwintering beetles as to cause overcrowding of the 
normal food plants. Should favorable conditions prevail during any 
year, we may again look for a sudden and perhaps more widespread out¬ 
break. 
