American Pomology Part 20

The moths are of a dark brown color, tinged with tawny-orange, and banded with bright yellow on the edge of the second ring of the body; the fore-wings are dusky, and the hind ones transparent.

REMEDIES.--No effectual methods of prevention are known; but it is well to inspect the vines, and when the presence of the insects is suspected, examine the roots, to find and destroy the worms.

NEUROPTERA, HYMENOPTERA, AND DIPTERA.

These several orders will be introduced together for convenience, as they may be disposed of in a briefer mention than some of their predecessors; because they do not contain so many species that are noxious by preying upon our cultivated plants. Some are even of advantage to us by their carnivorous propensities.

Among the =Neuroptera= are several which are aquatic in their larval condition, but when winged, they devour many insects; among these are the Dragon-flies, commonly called Devil's-needles by the children, who dread them, but they are harmless creatures. The Ant-lions were referred to under the head of Aphids, in the consideration of the order _Hemiptera_, as most voracious destroyers of Plant-lice.

Reference was also made to the Lace-winged Flies, _Hemerobius_, which, in the larval state, consume immense numbers of the same pests. A few of these insects are injurious; among them are the White-ants, Wood-lice, and the Wood-ticks, which are annoying, though they do not affect our crops.

Of the =Hymenoptera= there are many which, in a perfect state, consume the juices of our choice fruits, as well as the pollen and honey of flowers. Their services among these last, as aids in fertilizing the germs, is often of great importance to the fruit-grower. But, while acknowledging our grat.i.tude to many for this service, and to the industrious bee for gathering abundant stores of the nectared sweets, we have a serious charge to bring against the family for their depredations. The wasps especially are often troublesome, particularly in the vineyard, and their stings are annoying. Some ants are quite injurious.

The larvae of some species are destructive as wood borers and as leaf-eaters, and others cause an excrescence or warty growth upon the twigs and leaves where the eggs have been deposited; these are called _Gall-flies_. The great benefits rendered by a very large cla.s.s of insects in this order, however, may compensate for all the evil done by the others. I refer to the tribe of _Ichneumon-flies_ of several genera. Some of these are very small, and deposit their eggs within other insects, where they hatch and destroy them by feeding upon their juices.

Many of the wasps are predaceous, and destroy numerous insects to feed their larvae. Some of these exercise a wonderful instinct in preparing and securing this food for their young, which is stored up in safe caskets with the egg, and are ready to serve as food to the young larvae.

The _Diptera_, or two-winged insects, form an extensive order, containing many species, and these are composed of very numerous individuals. Flies and mosquitos are exceedingly annoying to man and animals, and many species, in the larval state, consume vegetable matters; but even here they are often of use in consuming decayed vegetation, and like many others of the order may be considered scavengers, consuming, as they do, immense quant.i.ties of filth and carrion, that would otherwise continue to taint the air and produce disease.

Some of the most destructive insects of this order are the _Gall-gnats_, among which are the Wheat-fly and the Hessian-fly, which often sadly interfere with the farmer's prospects.

A few insects will now be noticed more in detail.

=Selandria cerasi=, or _Blennocampa cerasi_, is the common Slug of the cherry and pear trees, and quite a troublesome hymenopterous insect.

In some parts of the United States these little creatures are so numerous as to strip the substance from the foliage of pears and cherries.

Our Slug resembles the _Selandria oethiops_ of Europe, but is declared to be different. The larvae are at first white, but the slimy substance that oozes from their bodies covers them with an olive coating. They have twenty very short legs; when fully grown, the largest are about nineteen-twentieths of an inch long. The head is concealed under the fore part of the body, which is largest before, and tapers behind.

They attain their growth in twenty days, casting their skins five times, eating them until the last time, after which they remain free from viscidity, and are of a clear yellow color. They leave the tree and enter the ground to the depth of one or three inches, to form their chrysalids. In three days they come up as flies, in July and August, to lay eggs for a second brood, the pupae of which remain in the ground during the winter.

Another insect of this genus is very destructive to our rose bushes; it is called _Selandria rosae_.

=Selandria vitis=, is a species that appears upon our grape vines, and is quite troublesome in some vineyards in July. They feed in companies of a dozen or more.

REMEDIES.--Shaking them off the leaves has been recommended, but does not promise to be effectual. When few, they should be sought for and crushed, to prevent their increase. Though troublesome, this may be effectually done, and their ravages leave traces that will direct us to the leaves which contain them.

When more numerous, the foliage may be syringed with common soapsuds, or with the whale oil soap, two pounds to fifteen gallons of water.

Air-slaked lime has been dusted upon them with good effect; ashes, and even dry dust from the road, will destroy them, by adhering to the slimy surface. These applications are best made when the foliage is wet after a shower, or with the dew. The great difficulty consists in their habit of going under the leaves, and thus being protected.

Mr. Parkman, the noted rose fancier, has found a mixture of soap and petroleum of great service, as it kills the slugs without injuring the buds and foliage. To a gallon of soft soap he adds two-thirds of a pint of petroleum, mixes them thoroughly, and dissolves in half a barrel of water; to be applied with a syringe.

=Diptera.=--Dr. Fitch describes as a new species _Malobrus mali_. He found them in a fruit that had been perforated by the Codling-moth.

The larvae are transparent; the flies resemble the Hessian-fly, that destroys the wheat plant.[44]

=Cecidomyia grossulariae=, or Gooseberry Midge, attacks the fruit, giving it the appearance of ripening prematurely. Considerable fruit is lost in this way.[45]

In closing this chapter, the author feels obliged to express his regrets that no more s.p.a.ce could have been appropriated to this important subject. He could only indicate some of the most troublesome insects of our orchards and vineyards, and he hopes that the reader will be induced to pursue the investigation for himself. He knows, by experience, that the study will bring its own reward in the information that is received, and which is absolutely necessary to enable us to combat these troublesome pests successfully.

FOOTNOTES:

[23] _Practical Entomologist_, 518 South 13th street, Philadelphia, fifty cents a year, in advance.

[24] Vide _Prairie Farmer_, _American Agriculturist_, _Country Gentleman_, etc.

[25] See Practical Entomologist, Vol. II, p. 32.

[26] See Practical Entomologist, Vol. II, p. 31.

[27] Harris, p. 205.

[28] Harris' Report, p. 310.

[29] For further details of these insects, the reader is referred to Fitch's Report, pp. 82 to 98.

[30] Rept. cit., p. 100.

[31] Rept. cit., p. 122.

[32] Rept. cit., p. 125.

[33] Rept. cit., p. 134.

[34] Trans. N.Y. Ag'l Soc., 1856, p. 359.

[35] Lib. cit. p. 435.

[36] Harris' Rept. p. 211.

[37] For further particulars respecting these insects, consult Dr.

Fitch's Rept., p. 5, and Harris's Rept., p. 241.

[38] Vide Harris' Rept., p. 232.

[39] Rept., p. 403.

[40] Rept., p. 241.

[41] Vide Fitch, in N.Y. Trans. 1856, p. 382.

[42] For interesting details vide Fitch's Rept., p. 221.

[43] Rept., p. 256.

[44] See Fitch's Report, p. 176.

[45] See Fitch's Report, p. 252.