Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-04-07
ANOTHER PEST FOUND
Clover Mite Eggs on Trees in
BrattIeboro Mans Garden
Government Entomologlst Reports on
Plum Branches Sent by Seectman GAL
Vln-Attaeks Fruit and Shade Trees.

Another insect pest, the clover mite,
has been discovered in Brattleboro as the
result of interest on the part of Select
man John Calvin in the San Jose scale,
which Commissioner of Agriculture q. L..
Martin of Plainfield is trying to eradicate.
After the recent discovery of the San
Jose scale in more than 100 places in
this town Mr.. Calvin cut off sections OF
branches of a plum tree in his garden
and sent them to the United states de-
partlncnt OF agriculture in Washington
for examination, not because of any doubt
that the state commissioner was correct,
but because he wanted to get all the in
formation possible on the subject. He
has Just received in reply from the bu-
rCau of entomology a letter dated March
2y, which reads as follows
Your letter of the oath inst duly re-
ceived.
THE accompanying plum branches are
heavily infested with the San Jose scale
(Aspidiotus perniciousus Comst). There
are also on the branches the minute red
eggs of the clover mite (Bryobia praten-
sis Garman).
IT enclose for your information, a cir
cular giving the means of control for the
giving information concerning the clover
mite.
yours very truly,
&c. L. MARLATT,
Assistant chief of bureau"
The clover mite is a reddish brown
mite about twice the size of the ordinary
red mite affecting greenhouse plants. 1t
is nearly three-tenths of an inch in
length, oval, and with remarkably long
hind legs. The mite first came into
prominence as a disagreeable invader of
dwelling houses about 10 years ago, but
it had been known number of years as
an enemy of various fruit and shade
trees and forage plants In the West,
where it is especially mischievous, 1t has
been COMPOUNDED with the red spider.
The presence of this mite on foliage,
either of clover or trees, caused the
leaves to turn yellow or assume a sickly
appearance, as if attacked by fungus. On
the tender leaves of clover, notably on
the upper sides, the juices are extracted,
often over irregular winding areas. The
most notable indication, however, of the
presence of the mite is the occurrence of
the eggs often in such numbers as ~
cover the bark at the crotches and
branches and sometimes over the entire
surface of the trunk The eggs are of
rather large size and o. a reddish color
and are conspicuous objects.
The mite attacks declduous fruits like
peach plum, apple, pear and cherry, and
among shade trees the poplar, elm. black
locust, arbor vitae, etc. In colder regions,
where the winter is passed in the egg
state, the issuance of the young mites
the following spring varies from May
until the middle of June. In the warmer
regions the mites begin to be noticeable
IN May or earlier, and enter their hiber-
mating quarters in October, in crevice of
fences or walls or under the loose bark of
trees. The eggs may be destroyed easily
in winter by spraying with kerosene di-
luted with five parts of water. On ac-
count of the absence of foliage at this
time of the year no danger will result
from the application
The circular relative to the San Jose or
Chinese scale contains some valuable in
formation and some interesting photo
graphs showing some results of infesta-
ton. 1t is shown also that the scale may
be disseminated by means of fruit, al
though the danger is not great. 1t infests
practically all deciduous fruit trees and
many ornamental and shade trees, but it
has not done serious damage to the ma
tive forest growth. An individual female
may give birth, on a seasonal average, to
about 400 young and there may be several
generations a year, The progeny from
one parent during the season have been
estimated at 1,60S, 040, 200. 1t is thus easy
to understand how the insect can so
quickly destroy the plants infested and
why prompt remedial measures are so
necessary. The characteristics of this
pest and the measures by which 1t may
be controlled have been published in pre-
viouS issues of The Phoenix