The Portland daily press., 1875-09-24
Insects Injurious to Vegetation.

The following is an abstract of remark
made by Geo. e. Brackett Of Belfast at City
Hall building. Tuesday evening, when the sub
ject of injurious insects was before the Farm
ers Meeting for discussion;
do not see that anything can be added to
the special subjects referred to in the able pa
per just presented, but will offer word or
two upon some of the most prominent inju-
rious insects named. ~
Potato Beetle.-Consdering the fact that the
much dreaded Colorado potatoe beetle will be
found as far eastward rs Maine within at least
two years, it is important for our farmers tn
understand it and take measures accordingly.
1 can conceive of no greater calamity which
could befall our potatoe raisers than the pres
ence of this pest in destructive numbers. In
my section of the state (Wald0 couHty) we arc
endeavoring to prepare for their advent by
growing less acres of potatoes and instead
keeping more cows and making cheese.
have frequently had specimens OF insects
sent me under the supposition that they were
the true ''Simon pure" potatoe beetle, but
they have invariably been mistaken. In q
large majority Of cases they prove to be the
three lined leaf beetle LENA trilinedtd) or
what is termed our potatoe beetle. The true
Colorado beetle (10-linedta) in the perfect or
winged form is distinguished by having ten
dark lines lengthwise its wing covers, while
ours has only three lines, and is smaller. In
TIE ldrVal Slat6 tQ6y are very btmudL, Auu UOtu
species are of the few insects which eat and
live upon the same plants in both the perfect
and larval forms. 90 ..-' =
Arnay Worm-This pest has shown itself in
some parts of Maine this year. In the town
of Searsport one of our farmers found bost Of
caterpilars one morning moving In solid array
across his grass field toward his cultivated
crops. They seemed to come up from Penob-
scot bay and threatened to dsvour his crops,
leaf and branch: Bethinking an old method
Co. a turnQd hia
crew and teams, aud plowing deep ditch In
their path stopped their progress
Apple-tree Borer.-This insect, perhaps the
most dreaded of any the apple grower has to
him out. If trees (not old infected ones) sra
carefully examined and searched twice year.
spring and fail, they can be saved. One OF the
most interesting studies ever experienced was
watching the changes of the apple tree borer
from the grub, or so called "wOrm" state 70
the winged insect or perfect beetle. As most
of you are aware nearly all insects pass through
four states or changes in their life before they
reach maturity. For example: First we
have the egg; second, the larva or grub; third,
the chrysalis. and fourth the perfect insect
The perfect insect in nearly every case Is
winged, be it beetle, moth or fly, and in the
larval form is when they are most destructive,
as caterpliars, grubs &o. .t-t
most common and troublesome insects inju-
rious to vegetation. Tie real apple tree
caterpillar is not so common or destruc-
tive late years as the forest tree cater
pillar, which does not live in q tent They
have been very injurious in different sec
tions the past year. In Waldo county I
have seen acres Of oak groves stripped and de-
huded so that they looked as though it were
midwinter. One of the most effectusl means
of preventing their ravsges is found in enemies
of their own kind-insect parasites which prey
upon and destroy them, Insect parasites are
minute insects usually termed small flies which
live in and on the caterpillar and cocoons. kill
structive evidence Of their operations The old
doggerel: "Big fleas have little feas to bite
'em and so on dd infnit,tn,' is entirely true as
applied to insects. The coHnnection between
parasitic insects. and their victims is an inter-
estinp studv ,.r- .rer ifr