The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-09-05
URGES WAR UPON
FOREST INSECTS
New York EntomolOgist Asks
Wide Cooperation.
STysgyt 81 q W. ;E -s ,s,ai f. f.
DIFFICULT 70 SAVE TREES,

FFult aHo FoTeSI lFeoS ny vast ffTHly
of Pests, Which Has Been Greatly
Augmented This Summer-Precau-
tions 10 Take Against Them,
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The forest entomologist of the New
York State College Of Forestry at SYRIA
cuse is making a thorough study of
the forest insects of that state. He
has found that many kinds of insects
injurious to trees are more numerous
and are doing greater damage this year
than usual. This is especially true of
such insects as the tent caterpillafs,
aphlds or plant lice and scale insects.
This serious damage by insects to
both fruit and forest trees during the
last summer is due largely to the very
mild weather of last winter, which al
bowed large number Of insects to
pass the cold season successfully, and
the long rainless periods of spring and
early summer, which enal5led the
young insects to get a good start in
their life work Of destroying vegeta-
tion, ..'''' ----s si'>-' - .Nss
Much can be done in combating the
insects so Injurious to our eefests by
protecting our birds and by learning
Of the life histories of the insects, so
that It win be known when TO destroy
them in the NEST effective way.
Destroying Tent Caterpillar.
The tent caterpillar, which has been
very destructive to certain fruit and
forest trees during the last summer,
Aas practically ceased its damaging
work for the present year. TO combat
this destructive insect more effective
ly next year we should begin now to
examine the trees upon which they
have been working this summer, to
| find the oocoons or pupa cases and egg
masses. These cocoons and egg mass
es are found usually in sheltered places
near where the caterpillafs have been
numerous, as under loose bark or in
the rubbish and grass under the trees
The coooons are of white spun silk and
often are found in masses Of dozen
or more. They should be collected and
destroyed In case of temperance
next year the tents should be burned
off with a torch or piece Of waste
soaked in kerosene.
Many inquiries have come 10 the for
est entnmologist regarding plant hce or
aphids, which have been unusually
abundant this year. This interesting
insect has had an excellent opportu-
nifty to develop IN large numbers, due
TO the long dry summer. Many young
trees or branches of trees and shrubs
have been deformed and IN some in
stances killed outright by these lice.
On the trees In home grounds and
parks one of the beet ways of destroy
ing the aphd colonies is by showering
the insects with the full force Of water
from a hose. The insects are thus
washed or and only very small per-
centage of them succeed IN getting
back on their food plant again. Chem
ical sprays may be used, but If these
are effective against the aptrids they
are likely 10 be injurious to the plant
and must be used with caution.
Many Hickory Trees Dying.
A number Of reports have come to
the entomologist of the dying of the
native hickory IN different parts of
the state. In most cases this Is due to
the hickory bark beetle, which is a
very small boring insect, living be-
tween the inner bark and the sap wood
of the hickory. This beetle makes a
burrow in which 1t lays its eggs and
from this burrow smaller burrows are
made in all directions by the young
larvae.
The hickory tree, from commercial
standpoint, is doomed in New York
state. unless very active work is done
to prevent the spread of the insect
This can be done only by cutting the
infested tree down and disposing of il
in a way to kin all of the insects un-
der the bark This may be done by
burning, by soaking the logs in water
or by barking the trunk and burning
the limbs and bark The college OF
forestry at Syracuse win be glad to
have the work of insects IN forest trees
IN any part Of the country reported to
them, and they are ready at all times
to determine the species and give sug
gestions as to combating it.
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