The Washington times., 1901-11-10

flies which come forth in winter and fiji
around. They hibernate under roofs
and in hollow trees and their slumber
is broken every time the temperature
| increases. They are the first spring
insects to appear in numbers, coming
| forth to sip the nectar from the March
| flowers. During the winter season they
require no food.
The most interesting of the insects
| in the trees and on twigs in the fall,
| and then crawl away TO die, having
performed their mission in life. These
| insects multiply by the millions. While
many accidents happen to the eggs,
they are deposited in such enormous
quantities that it seems almost impos-
sible to destroy them all These eggs
are laid in all imaginable places, some
even being deposited in other insects,
where they hatch and destroy their
host Farmers and fruit growers have
in recent years made systematic efforts
to lessen the number of insect pests by
attacking the eggs rather than the full
grown creatures. The fall and winter
season has become for them the period
for insect hunting, and they go forth
in the orchards and parks to destroy
next years insect hosts before they
have seen the light of day. In Central
Park millions of eggs are annually de-
stroyed in the fall and winter, and in
this way the insects destructive to the
foliage are prevented from swarming
in Overwhelming numbers among the
trees. If present methods were not pur
sued the workmen in the park would
have little chance in the annual battle
with the insects. They would increase
in numbers in two years so that millions
of them would defy the utmost efforts
of man to protect the foliage.
Eggs can be found anywhere and
everywhere at this time of the year. 1t
is only necessary to go forth into the
woods, park, or orchard and make close
examination of trees, twigs, weeds,
rocks, stones, and logs. Some of the
insects. however, are more cautious
than Others. and they bore deep holes
through the bark of trees. and some
times an inch into the hard centre of
the wood itself. AT the bottom of these
holes they deposit their eggs, and then
close up the opening with a gluelike
substance which will shed the water.
Thus no moisture can reach the eggs,
nor can the cold or creeping enemies
find them. The woodpecker is an ex-
ception. With its long, powerful bill
this bird hops around and around
tree, and feeds on the eggs of the in
sects, destroying in each twenty-four
hours hundreds of thousands of them
These birds thus perform a good work
for the forests that can hardly be
measured in dollars and cents.
Other insects simply glue their eggs
to twigs and trees and stones in the
woods, park, or orchard. These hatch
out in early spring. Some eggs are so
tiny that a few millions of them will
cluster in a bunch not larger than a
pea. Fire is the farmers surest and
quickest aid in destroying the eggs, and
the days sweepings, cuttings, and
scrapings are thrown into the flames to
make sure work of them.
The woods and fields are frequently
fun of cocoons and chrysalids at this
season of the year, holding the young of
another summers crop of butterflies,
worms, and caterpillars The silken
covering of the coeoons keeps out all
moisture and cold, and inside the crea-
ture thrives in comfort and solitary
happiness.