Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1845-05-02
From The PlosO Boys Almanac.
INJURIOUS INSECTS.

ricuiturist and horticultunst. Without q
thorough knowledge Of their ha5its, in all
their OarioW changes, it will, in a great
measure. be impossible to prevent their de-
predatlons. Swanson, on this suciect,
correctly remarks I'VE are continually
hearing Of the failure of crops, and of at.
tendant ruin. Now, in nine instances out
OF ten, these devastations have originated
in the unusual abundance Of some particu-
lar insect, which, from unknown causes,
have appeared in great numbers. We con,
tend not that the knowledge or the ingenu-
ity Of man could foresee such evils, or could
totally ycOunteract them; bat experience has
shown how much may be done, in many
cases, both in the way of prevention and
cure. To do this effectually, however, re-
course must be had to natural history. The
cause of the injury being ascertained, the
habits Of the insect must be studied in all
its different stages. Whdl soH proUe more
or less e6icacious IN one ofthese stages wRI be
totally useless, or VoiH increase he coil IN an
other. Hence arises the necessity of as
certaining names and species, without
which no etfectual steps can he taken"
The necessity and advantage Of an exact
knowledge Of insects to all persons enga-
ged in farming ana gardening has induced
US to notice few Of the most noxious
THE BEE MoTH.-This pernicious insect,
so destructive to the honey bee, was well
known to the ancients, and is mentioned
under the name Of Tinea, in the works Of
Virgil and CoIumela. There are tw o broods
OF these insects in the course Of a year.
The first brood begin 10 appear towards the
end Of April or May; those of the second
brood are most abundant in AugusS but be-
tween these periods, and even later, Others
come to perfection, and consequently some
Of them may be found during the greater
part of the summer. During the day they
remain quiet on The sides or in the crevices
OF the bee house, hut in the evening when
the bees are at rest, they take wing, hover
round the hive till, having found the door,
they goin and lay their eggs, Those that
are prevented by the crowd, or by any 9TH
er cause, from getting within the hive, lay
their eggs on the outside or Oh the stand,
and the little worm-like caterpllars hatch
ed theretrom, creep into the hive through
the cracks, orgnaW a passage for themselves
under the edges Of it. These caterpiars
at first, are not thicker than thread, and
have sixteen nlegs. Their bodies are soft anC
tender, and OF yellowish white color
sprinkled with a few little brownish dots
from each OF which proceeds 4 short hair
Their heads are brown and shelly. The
pass safely and unseen in every direction
through the waXen cells, which they break
down and destroy. Beeswax is their only
food, and they prefer the old to the new
comb, and are always found most numer'
Gus in the upper part Of the hive, where this
oldest honey-comb is lodged, AS soon as
they are hatched they begin to spin, and
each one makes itself tough siIken tube
wherein it can easily turn round and move
backwards and forwards at pleasure.
During the day they remain concealed in
their silken tubes, but at night, when the
bees cannot see them, they come partly out
and devour the wax within their reach.-
AS they increase in size, they lengthen and
enlarge their dwellings and cover them on
the outside with coating of grains Of wax
mixed with their own castings, which re-
semble gunpowder. Protected by this coat
ing from the stngs Of the bees, they work
their way through the combs, gnaw them TO
pieces, and all the hive with their filthy
webs; at last the discouraged bees are COM
PEELED TO abandon their perishing brood and
their wasted stores, and leave the desolated
hive to the sole possession OF these spoilers.
These caterpillars grow to their full size,
about an inch in length, in about three
weeks. They then spin their cocoons and
pass into the crysaIis state. When this
transformation happensin the autumn, they
remain without further change till the spring
and then burst open their cocoons and come
forth with wings. Those which become
chrysaloids in the early part of summer are
transformed TO winged moths fourteen days
afterwards, Immediately pair, lay their eggs,
and die. Bees suffer most from the depre-
datons of this insect in hot and dry sum-
mrrs. When these insects have establish
ed themselves in hive, their presence is
known by the little fragments Of wax, and
the black grains scattered by them on the
floor The best preventive against the de-
predations of this insect is to have the box
es or hives as free from cracks and CreviCes
as possible and recently Dr. Wolfersberger,
of Ohio, has invented beehive by which
they are excluded by a mechanical contri-
vance. Burning candle or lamp for a
short time every evening in the vicinity of
the beehive, during the prevalence Of these
insects, will destroy great numbers of them.
1t is said that salt deposited plentifully un-
der the edge of the hive, and whitewash-
ing the outside of the hive and stand so as
to I'll the cracks and creVces is also pre-
ventive. Examining them each morning du-
ring the existence of this insect, and remo-
wing the eggs that have been deposited, will,
in all probability, have the desired effect, and
add to the gain and enjoyment Of the farmer.
APPLE TREE BoRER. This is the most for
mdable enemy to apple trees, ounce BUSH
es, locust and ash trees, with which the
agricuIturalist has to contend. 1t is brown
and coarse looking, about three fourths Of
an inch long; with striped wings. Late in
June and early in July she may be seen on