Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-12

Bpeoially prepared by Matthew Cooke FOR the
REcoRD-UNIoE and WEEKLY UFIoE.i
Colonel c. H Rowland, Of the Les An
geles Electric Company, writes under date
of July Sd as follows:
Might before last noticed rnyrisds Of small
bug flying into the lamps, and took occasion
to save some, which send you By this mail
what they are know not, but they may pc OF
some interest in your researones notlee Is
che season progresses the kind OF insects change
Reply The package received, and con-
tains one plush moth (iniurious), one small
tree weevil (injurious), two specimens Of
ichnuemon flies (benehcisD, a large num-
Der of very small beetles belonging to
the s.aphy.tnidsc, or what are popu-
larry known as rove beetles. These
beetles feed upon decayiag vege-
table matter, and are not injurious There
were also a large number of bugs that be-
long TO o class of aquatic insects popularity
known "a the oar-fo0ted w&ter-bugsn
Those specimens belong to the genus
C5TizG, and measure about one-fourth of
Nm inch in length. AS those ster-bug5
have appeared in myriads around the cleo
kric lights in this city within the last two
weeks, and considerable inquiry made con-
corning them, it may be interesting to read
the description given of them by Town
send Glover, entomologist, in United States
Agricultural Report, 1875:
In the Corisida the prothorax is large, the
fore-feet (tarsi are single jointed hsttened and
strongly fringed (ciliGtedl; the mid-leg5 are
aender, with remarkably long and slender
claws; the hind-leg5 heYetwo-} pointed feet Gsrsal
joints. very broad, ciliated and adapted tor
swimming. The insects frequent pools; their
when
disturbed, and seize hold Of submerged objects
with their middle pair of legs, They also fly we'll
but walk With difficulty. These insects are fire.
quently found at the surface OF the water be
meath the ice when frozen, where they have
been taken III winter aud thaw5d cut into life
and activity, after being apparently frozen 10
death. These insects differ from another group
of the same family known as the h00Becs0,
which swim on their back, while this species
swim upon its belly. When resting quietly on
tae water the hind legs are advanced forward
and past the Intermediate legs, SO Whist are
really the posterior feet are apparently the
terror. This insect ordinarily suSpends itself by
its tail TO the surface OF the water: but at the
least movement 1t precIptJ9te6 lLseH quickly 70
the bottom, where 1t remains resting some time,
elinging to plant or stone with its long, slender
middle legs, The insect walks with difficulty
upon the ground; and when in q globe or squs-
rum. and diving. the under parts OF the body
appear silyeTy, which IS caused by the air Ut
taching Itself and remaining cljngLlg to the
body under water
The eggs Of two species of this genus
she C.. fermorata or DteToenG7iG- are used as
food in Mexico. The natives place bundles
OF tule in Lake TexcucO, which float in the
water until covered with eggs: The bundles
arc taken out and beaten Oyor large cloth
the eggs being thus disengaged arc cleaned
and beaten into -four. Yilet d'Aoust states
that twelve 10 fifteen days suffice for each
reed In these faSceS to be entirely covered
with eggs, which they thus fish up by mill
ions. They are generally made into SORT
Of cake, which is served up WITH a sauce,
to which the irieXicanS give a Zest rs they
do to all their dishes by adding to it cAiIu,
which is composed of green pimento
crushed"
cIcADA, Or LOcUSTs.
George B. Springer, Oroville, Bate
county, writes:
send you TO-DAY, per express, the trunk Of an
apricot tree to get your theory for its death /
had an orchard d four hundred trees that were
act out one year ago last winter that we're one
year old at that time. They did well last year
and made an extraordinary growth this season,
until about three weeks ago they commenced to
die by the whole rows in day. J have done
everything to find out the cause and yesterday
morning ! found u locust at work upon the
trunk OF the tree Just above the ground. killed
IL | have since seen two Others ~ work but
did not succeed IN capt ring them. My theory
Is that the locust stu IS the tree and p0isons It
Just NBOfG tue LtF u FIDAIt. hiiG ENefSfCg
they sting it It kills the tree through, and !
outs Oft the passage up and down of the !
sap and the treetop dies. Every one Of the I
four hundred have died the same way. You |
will see by this trunk where It has been stuug
and 1T those points the tree is dead, while the /
roots are strong and healthy. No one here
sbOuts seems 70 understand anything about it. I
The trees we're set upon one OF the finest pieces
OF land IN this vicinity. No one seems TO know I
anything OF the locust; il is very little know /
Of them except to hear them singing morning +
l.rr# flrF.-4,
have not irrigated any this season, was COLI (
stantly working the ground and the trees did !
better than last year, VITA irHgation until they /
commenced to die. The locust Iskilled was /
shout two inches long, round head and rump /
Ike buTlblebee, wing Ike fly,
Reply The apricot tree you send have
examined carefully. There are no indica- /
hons Of the presence of insect life The I
large knot on the root was probably caused
by wound Of some kind, and is similar to /
that found on the roots of young peach !
trees. Some nuserymen claim that il is (
caused by some property of the soil, and /
some growers that IL is caused by u species 4
Of Aphjs (plant hcel [ am not prepared 10 /
say what Is the direct cause, but 1t is eY- I
IDENTIFY produced by an overflow Of sap at ,
that spot, from 2 wound Of some kind.
Your theory of the cause Of the trees |
dying is correct. The places where tho |
gum Is gathered and eXudes are from
wounds made probably last year, and are
the direct cause of the trees dying at this 1
season. The eXudation OF sap from those +,
wounds has Cncircled the trunk under the |
bark, destroying the green and cambium
layers. Last spring the sap left the
roots, and passed up through so That part
of the sap wood that was not injured by
wound, and supported the foliage When
the sap commenced to return in its natural
NJ, h4gS tIn al :
wood, OF what is known as the cambium
layer, II could not pass lower thtn 70 the
point where girdiCd by theexuding sap, and
the portion of tree between that point and
the root being deprived of its natural sup
port became dead. The tree you send has
been pierced in two places, evidently by
Cicada Tor seventeen-yeaT locust, = descrip-
ton of which You viii find in last Satur-
days issue of the REcoRD- UTIoT. If you
can possibly capture one Of the insects YOU
will confer q favor by forwarding il TO me-
1t is evident the wounds are caused by
some insect and il is necessary to investi-
gate to learn the real cause.
cATEBPILLAEs UPON APRrooTs.
Frank A. Kimball National City, San
Diego county, writes:
By to-day's mail send yon bottle contain
ing part of an apricot and a little ral loyyiAh
"A very active little fellow he u.s. too In an
examination OF some apricot trees | found
SlnSle apricot that looked ripe. but Q little
a further examination discovered
the worm, which was not injured in cutting the
NUT, and which send you. Have never seen
an apricot with worm In it before. viii you
please describe 1t N the REooRDUHIoSr
Reply; The package containing pieoo Of
apricot and caterpillar arrived during my
absence, and when had al opportunity 70
examine 1t the caterpillar was in such
state OF decay that | cannot determine TO
what species of moths it belongs, further ,
than that 1t IS the caterpillar of ono of the
moths, or the caterpillar Of ,
species Of the same family as the Goblin !
moth. | have noticed several species of ,
caterpillaTs attacking apricots but doing
little damage. So far as can make ont 81 =,
his specimen, it agrees in appearance with A.,
the Goblin moth caterpillar, excepting thc ,
color OF the head and cervical shield. I