The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-03

begin giving birth to other young.
AZ intervals throughout the summer there
appears 4 generation of winged females
which are able to fly to other trees and
these spread the species. Upon the ap'
proach Of winter there appears a genera
ton composed Of both males and females
and the females Of this generation lay what
are known az the winter eggs, in which con-
dition the insects hibernate.
For q long time the method OF develop
ment was considered to be without prece-
dent in the animal kingdom, but this phe-
nomenal kind Of reproduction. which is
known by the name "parthenogenesis," or
birth from females only. has been found
80 occur occasionally in other groups. not
only Of insects, but of other low animals.
The numbers which result from this
rapid multiplication Of individuals are al
ago. estimated that the tenth generation
alone from tbs stemmmother (the female
Matching from the winter egg, if all the
members survived the perils to which they
are exposed. would contain more subtance
by weight than five hundred millions of
men, that 10, more than the population Of
China!
Fortunately. however. there are many
checks TO the increase of these insects.
They are preyed upon very extensively by
the little beetles known as the ladybirds
and their larvae, and by many other kinds
vi WAA Y
group OF parasitic insects live within the
bodies of the lice. Tho extremely numer-
GUS y delicate little parasites belong to
the sub-family known as aphidilna. The
female inserts an egg into the body of the
p~lant-louse and from this egg matches a
the,body of the latter turning brown and
swelling mp until it is perfectly round.
The parasitic larva soon transforms to
m adult and gnaws its way out of the body
OF the plant-louse, through q circular hole.
There ia hardly a species of plant-louse
which is not attacked by some species of
4 xphidiid parasites and the numbers which
are destroyed in this way from spring to
summer cannot be estimated.
An interesting chapter in the life-nistorv
Of the plant-louse could be written about
its relations with ants. The lice ~secrete,
from Two little tubes on their backs, drops
of q sweet liquid known as honey dew. or
this substance ants are very fond. They
may always be seen running about on the
plants which are infested by plant-lice.
tapping these little creatures with their
Rntenne and greedily eating the sweet
LIQUID.
The ants watch over and care for the
plant-lice. driving away the predaceous
insects and parasites. They even carry
young plant-liee carefully from one point
TO another where these would find better
I md more tender food. and they store their
eggs in autumn to be carried in spring
TO the plants on which the plant-lice feed.
From this curious relation the plant-lice
have been called "the miloh cows of the
ants"
Az to remedies for plant-lice no better
one can be found than spraying infested
plants with a dilute kerosene emulsion.
This emulsion is made by adding one part
OF strong. hot soap-suds to two parts of
kerosene. 1t is then agitated violently,
either by shaking it in a large bottle OF
II nv ChnFDinO il thrOuph a avrirun ~ foroe
pump until it forms . thick, white emul-
sion. One part of this emulsion may then
be diluted with from ton to twenty parts OF
water. which will not harm the tenderest
foliage and will At the same time kill most
of the plant-lics.
In the eastern states from Charleston, S
G.. nearly to Troy. N. y, the principa
enemy Of the elm tree is the imported elm
leaf beetle. This is one of a large group OF
~coleoptera known as leaf-beetles (chry
somelide); and vas imported into thig
country about 1850 at Baltimore, and hae
been spreading north and south.
The insect passes the winter in the beetle
condition, hidden away in cracks in fences,
under the bark of trees, under sticks and
stones, and under the clapboards of houses,
laying its eggs upon the young elm leaves.
The eggs are %conical in shape. yellow in
color and are laid in little double rows.
The larvae Matching from the eggs resem-
BILE somewhat those of the grapevine flea
Deesle. mentioned in the last article. They
are yellowlsh black. growing yellower as
they grow older, and becoming marked
with small black spots. They feed anon
the leaves, gradually skeletonizinR them,
and when abundant cause the elm trees tc
present 9 sorry appearance towards thu
middle of June.
When full-grown they either crawl down
the trunk or drop to the ground and trans
form to yellow pupB either upon the sur.
face OF the ground or under any sticks OF
stones which they may be able to find. The
beetles crawl In autumn into winter quar-
tors.
This insect has parasites in Europe, bu,
mono are known 30 far in this country,
The best remedy consists in Spraying til.
trees when the larvae are abundant witt
Paris green or London purple in the pro
porsion OF one-half pound to 100 gallons OF
water. Where a strong spraying apparatu.
IS not at hand many Of the insects may be
trapped by constructing a box about the
base of the tree in which the descending
lar7D will transform and where they ma
easily DO killed with hot water from time
80 time.
At this time of the year a curious LITTLE
moth which somewhat resembles a wasp o.
hornet may DO seen flying about the psacl
trees. This Is one of the clear winge,
moths (tamily seslid;e) and Is the paren'
of the peach tree borer.
The eggH are laid slngly upon the ,runl
OF the peach tree, usually near the ground
and the little white larva on Matching bore,
through the bark and tunnels up and down
IN the sap-wood, and when abundant Sc,
riously Injuries the vitality OF the tree
There 10 but one annual generation, and tn,
larvae transform to pupB at the outlet O
their burrows IN cells composed partly O
silk and partly of sawdust and excitement
Tn insects can always be distinguishes
~ = glance from the fact that u yellow 0
broWnish gum exudes from the openings OF
she burrows.
Whore only a few trees are to be pro.
tccted, the best course will be to cut the
Larvae out by hand. or to destroy them b,
inserting Il shary wire into their tunnels
The earth should be removed from abon,
the baae of the tree, all larve killed, nnc
then ashes and earth should be mounde,
up about the trunk for some distance
his IL best done in the early spring. anc
She trees can DO protected from further
ngR-laHinp hY surropndiuu tham ui4l