xV FEW ORCHARD PLANT RICE 37 
foes is what accounts for its wide range of food plants and its 
intricate life history. 
The predaceous enemies such as lady-beetles, syrphus flies and 
lace-wing flies are very abundant about the colonies of this insect, 
and at least two small internal parasites* also destroy them. 
remedies 
About a week before the buds open, spray the trees with the 
ordinary strength of kerosene emulsion (one-fifteenth oil) or with 
Black Leaf i to 65 in water, or with some other good plant louse 
spray recommended for the green apple aphis. After the trees 
have blossomed, if the lice become abundant at any time, spray as 
for the green apple aphis. 
If the peach trees are to be treated with lime-sulfur for twig 
borer, or brown mites before the buds open, that application should 
kill nearly all of the stem mothers of this louse too, if made a week 
or ten days before the buds open. 
THE BLACK PEACH APHIS 
{Aphis persicae-nigcr Smith) 
Plate I, Figs. 12, 13, 14. 
This louse has long been known as a pest in peach orchards 
in the United States where is seems to be a native insect. This 
seems strange, however, as the peach is a native of Asia and appears 
to be the only food plant for this louse. We first noted the black 
peach aphis in Colorado in 1905. It has not become very generally 
distributed in the peach orchards of the State as yet, but is known to 
occur in a few localities upon the western slope and at Canon City. 
The infested orchards are so situated, however, that it will be an 
easy matter in a few years for the louse to distribute itself through¬ 
out nearly all the important peach sections. 
It is important, therefore, for all who grow peaches to give 
the closest attention to their orchards for the purpose of detecting 
this louse as soon as it appears and destroying it, before it becomes 
so widely distributed that it cannot be kept under control. 
APPEARANCE OP THE INSECT 
This louse differs quite widely in its habits and appearance 
from Other species that attack the peach, and is one.that any fruit 
grower can readily determine if he will give close attention to the 
characterization here given. 
* A species of liysiphiebus destroys large numbers, especially in green¬ 
houses, and we have also a number of the lice killed by a very minute 
Chalcid (Aphelinus sp.), which causes the lice to turn deep shining black 
in color. Liice parasitized by liysiphiebns become swollen and turn to a 
gray, or light drab color. Those killed by the Chalcid retain their natural 
shape. Determined for us by Dr. L. O. Howard. 
