The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-11
THE ELM LEAF BEETLE
The Bulletin Of Massachu-
sets Board of Agriculture
Treats Of the Past.

/ Considerable space is given up in the
bulletin of the Massachusetts, board OF
agriculture, embodied in the state cror
report for July, to the elm leaf beetle
The article is by A H Kirkland, as
sistant entomologist of the gypsy moth
commission, and deals exhaustively
with the origin of the pest in this coun-
try, its habits and the methods en-
ployed to stay its ravages. Mr.. Kirk
land says in part:
In many localities in Massachusetts,
the imported elm leaf beetle has
proved pest of the first rank, and
while but a recent accession to our in
sect fauna, apparently has come to
stay. Since 1885 it's depredations in the
Connecticut valley have given it con-
siderable local notortety, and last year
at Groton it duplicated the damage
caused at Springfield and Northamp-
ton.
That this insect will prove a serious
pest in the near future in many of our
larger cities, seems the only conclusion
to be drawn from the experience of
| other states, notably New York and
Connecticut II attacks and, if neg
lected, kills our most valuable species
of shade tree and is slowly but surely
spreading over the state. Like many
of our most dangerous insect pests, the
elm leaf beetle is an importation from
Europe
The elm leaf beetle appears to have
entered Massachusetts from the south
several years ago, and has gradually
spread northward. AT present the
beetle has spread westward along the
| Westf1eld river to West Springfield and
| WeStfield and along the Millers river
| to Williamsburg, in each of which
towns it was locally injurious in 1898.
The mature beetles pass the winter
! in various sheltered places, under clap
boards, in buildings, etc., in some cases
| crawling into houses in such great
numbers as to cause much annoyance.
In this region they emerge from the
first to the middle of May and feed
| greedily upon the elm, eating innumer-
able shot holes in unfolding leaves.
| Egg-laying commences in a few days
and extends over several weeks.
! OF two female beetles observed by DR..
Felt, one deposited 431 eggs in q days,
| the other 62S eggs in % days.
This insect feeds upon both the Eu-
lropean and the American elm, natural
Ily preferring the former. In many
cases, notably at Northampton, where
to American elms, the former are badly
| injured, while the latter are practically
unharmed. Where the European elm
is not available, however, the American
species is readily attacked and severely
| injured.
In cases of extensive injury by the
| elm-leaf, beetle, individuals often spend
IN useless channels a large amount OF
! energy which intelligently applied
would be productive of good results
Among the more common mistakes are:
| Tar bands, which serve to prevent
| damage by the canker worm by inter
| cepting the wingless female moth on
her way up the tree to deposit eggs
The female eln-leaf beetle flies into the
| tree, hence these bands are valueless
| against this insect. The considerations
| mentioned above apply to cotton bands
| Nothing better illustrates the credu-
| llty OF mankind, than that sons of Be
lial still find victims who are Willing
to pay for the plugging of trees with
| sulphur to ward off insect damage. II
| is needless to say that this treatmen!
! is sWindle pure and simple and that
money spent for this purpose is but
charity given to unworthy objects.
! valuable elms are frequently killed
| by the use of pure kerosene on tbs
| trunks as Il means of destroying the
| pupae. The oil accumulates at the base
OF the tree, and where used in quanti-
| ties, kills the roots. By substituting
kerosene emulsion for kerosene. all
| danger will be avoided
The sweeping up and carting away
of the masses of pupae and larvae
| along with the other rubbish of the
| streets is not an uncommon sight in
| infested cities. In a case observed b i
| the writer in July, 1898, quarts of the
| pupae were carefully swept up in a
| public square and carried to the CITY
dump. In all such cases the sweepings
| should be burned or treated with crude
petroleum or kerosene emulsion.