. 3 3? of the State ol New York Bulletin as second-class matter August 2, 1913, at the Post Office at Albany, N. Y., under the act of August 24, 1912 Published fortnightly fo. 547 ALBANY, N. Y. July 15, 191 New York State Museum John M. Clarke, Director Ephraim Porter Felt, State Entomologist Museum Bulletin 165 28TH REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST ON INJURIOUS AND OTHER INSECTS STATE OF NEW YORK 1912 PAGE PAGE Introduction 5 Use of oil on dormant trees 83 Injurious insects 13 Notes for the year 93 Codling moth 13 Fruit tree insects 93 Hessian fly 31 Forest insects 99 Fall army worm 42 Miscellaneous 104 Elm leaf beetle 47 Publications of the entomologist 113 White grubs and Jvme beetles . 56 Additions to collections 120 Hickory bark borer . : 63 of gall midges. Pear thrips 70 Appendix: a study 127 Explanation of plates Queen blow fly 75 227 Georgian flesh fly 80 Index 255 ALBANY UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 1913 Me3r-Api3-i5oo . 3 )rsitj ol the State of New York Bulletin as second-class matter August 2, 1913, at the Post Office at Albany, N. Y,, under the act of August 24, 1912 Published fortnightly No. 547 ALBANY, X. Y. July 15, 191 New York State Museum JOHX jM. Clarke, Director Ephraim Porter Felt, State Entomologist Museum Bulletin 165 28TH REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST ON INJURIOUS AND OTHER INSECTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 1912 PAGE PAGE Introduction 5 Use of oil on dormant trees 83 Injurious insects 13 Notes for the year 93 Codling moth 13 Fruit tree insects 93 Hessian fly 31 Forest insects 99 Fall army worm 42 Miscellaneous 104 Elm leaf beetle 47 Publications of the entomologist 113 White grubs and Jvme beetles. 56 Additions to collections 120 Hickory bark borer. : 63 Appendix: a study of gall midges. Pear thrips 70 127 Explanation of plates 22"] Queen blow fly 75 Georgian flesh fly 80 Index ::'55 ALBANY UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 1913 Me3r-Api3-i500 75 UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK Regents of the University (September 15, 1913) With years when terms expire 191 St Clair McKelway M.A. LL.D. D.C.L. L.H D. Chancellor Brooklyn 1914 Pliny T. Sexton LL.B. LL.D. Fice Chancellor Palmyra 191 Albert Vander Veer M.D. M.A. Ph.D. LL.D. Albany 1922 Chester S. Lord M.A. LL.D. - - - - ^ New York 1918 William Nottingham M.A. Ph.D. LL.D. - - Syracuse ------ - Kisco 192 1 Francis M. Carpenter Mount 1923 Abram L Elkus LL.B. D C.L. - - - - - New York 1916 Lucius N. Littauer B.A. ------ Gloversville 1924 Adelbert Moot --------- Buffalo 1925 CharlesB. Alexander M.A. LL.B. LL.D. Lit.D. Tuxedo ---------- Elmira 19 19 John Moore 1920 Andrew J. Shipman M.A. LL.B, LL.D. - -New York President of the University and Commissioner of Education John Huston Finley M.A. LL.D. Assistant Commissioners Augustus S, Downing M.A. L.H.D. LL.D. For Higher Education Charles F. Wheelock B.S. LL.D. For Secondary Education Thomas E. Finegan M.A. Pd.D. LL.D. For Elementary Education Director of State Library James L Wyer, Jr, M.L.S. Director of Science and State Museum John M. Clarke Ph.D. D.Sc. LL.D. Chiefs of Divisions Administration, George M. Wiley M.A. Attendance, James D. Sullivan Educational Extension, William R. Watson B.S. Examinations, Harlan H. Horner B.A. History, James A. Holden B.A. Inspections, Frank H. Wood M.A. Law, Frank B. Gilbert B.A. Library School, Frank K. Walter M.A. M.L.S. Public Records, Thomas C. Quinn School Libraries, Sherman Williams Pd.D. Statistics, Hiram C. Case Visual Instruction, Alfred W. Abrams Ph.B. Vocational Schools, Arthur D. Dean D.Sc. New York State Education Department Science Division, February 15, /(?/j Hon. Andreiv S. Draper LL.D. Coiuinissio)ier of Education Sir : i have the honor to transmit herewitli the manuscript and accompanying illustrations of the annual report of the State En- tomologist, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 191 2, and I recommend the same for publication as a bulletin of the State Museum. \>ry respectfully John M. Clarke Director STATE OF NEW YORK EDUCATION DEPARTMENT commissioner's room Approved for publication this ipth day of February iqi^ Commissioner of Education University of tiie State of New Yorlf Bulletin Entered as second-class mattertter August 2, 1913, at the PostP( Office at Albany, N. Y., undernder the act of August 24, 1912191 Published fortnightly No. 547 ALBANY, N. Y. July 15, 1913 New York State Museum John M. Clarke, Director Ephraim Porter Felt, State Entomologist Museum Bulletin 165 28th REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1912 Dr John M. Clarke, Director of Science Division I have the honor to present herewith my report on the injurious and other insects of the State of New York for the year ending September 30, 1912. The past season was remarkable because of the superabundance of the common apple tent caterpillar in the Hudson and Mohawk valleys and on the borders of the Adirondacks. The pests were so numerous that most of the wild cherries on the roadside were defoliated and many orchards severely injured. There were reports of local damage here and there by the allied forest tent cater- pillar; in several sections extended tracts were stripped of foliage. There is at least a fair probability of the insect being more abund- ant another season and possibly causing serious injury locally. The green maple worm, so numerous last year, attracted no atten- tion the past season. Petroleum compounds as insecticides. Dead and dying trees in several Greene county orchards which had been sprayed the pre- ceding fall with a commercial preparation of petroleum, led to a careful study of the cases and the behavior of the trees through the season. A comparison was also made between the condition of these trees and injury of earlier years following applications of petroleum. We were unable to note any material difference between the two and, furthermore, observed a marked restriction of the damage to trees or even portions of trees which had re- ceived the application. A detailed discussion of our findings is given below, and after a careful study of the various phases of the matter we were forced to conclude that a certain measure of [5] 6 NEW YORK STATK MUSia'M risk attaches to tlie application of mineral oils or preparations of the same to trees in a dormant condition. Fruit tree pests. The experiments of the last three years against the codling moth have been continued in the orchard of Mr Thomas Albright, New Baltimore, and very satisfactory returns obtained. The check or unspraycd tree produced only 38.95 per cent of sound fruit, while other trees of the same variety, less than 100 feet away, yielded over 97, and in some instances, more than 98 per cent of worm-free apples. The results obtained in this experiment and those of earlier years were checked by a careful study of representative trees in the orchards of Messrs W. H. Hart, Poughkeepsie, and Edward Van Alstyne, Kinderhook. These latter were sprayed under strictly commercial conditions with no expectation at that time of their being subjected to a test later. The results in these commercial orchards were exceed- ingly gratifying. The northern spies belonging to Mr Hart pro- duced an average of over 98 per cent of sound fruit, while the greenings and Baldwins on the Van Alstyne place gave an average of over 96 per cent of worm-free apples. The results of the past four years' experiments go far to show that under normal crop conditions one thorough and timely spraying for the codling moth should result in producing from 95 to 98 per cent of sound fruit. These tests are of great practical value to the fruit grower, since they afford a reliable basis for correctly estimating the value of spray applications. The pear thrips, a minute insect which blasted or nearly destroyed the pear crop in a few orchards in the Hudson valley, was studied with special reference to conditions favoring injury, and the efficacy of spraying with a tobacco preparation demonstrated. The insect, potentially a very dangerous form, is discussed in this report. The work of the pear midge was investigated and a number of extremely desirable photographs of the larva and its work secured. Gipsy moth. The danger of injury by this notorious pest was emphasized by the discovery of a small colony, practically restricted to a city block at Geneva. A personal examination of the locality showed that the infestation was probably of three or four years' standing. The chances are at least fair that the insect was intro- duced in that locality with nursery stock, though no undoubted evidence as to the source of the infestation has been adduced. We may expect the discovery of similar colonies from time to time, and for a period at least, no effort should Ije spared to REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I912 7 exterminate such outlying infestations, as this poHcy is much cheaper and decidedly more advantageous to the general welfare than the adoption of repressive measures with the inevitable slow spread of the insect and shortly the greatly increased cost of controlling the pest incident to its being distributed over an extended area. Such measures are also advisable, since checking the normal spread is most advantageous for the development of introduced parasites, a number of which have already been established in this country.