Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. eee mie : 7s ey 1 ee Soh eas ii wan aa rae U.S. DEMARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. BULLETIN No. 12. MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON THE WORK OF THE DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY FOR THE SEASON OF 1885, PREPARED BY THE ENTOMOLOGIST. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFIC. 1886. Lisga4—WNo, 12 oo : - 7 a AS - —_ bi “x LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, _ Washington, D. C., June 7, 1886. Sim: I have the honor to subinit for publication Bulletin No. 12 of this Division, which contains certain notes vn the work of the Division made during the year 1885, and which were excluded for lack of space from my report of that year. I have also added a paper on Cicada septendecim, sent at my request by the author, and containing many interesting original observations, if not always agreeing with those of others. Respectfully, CV GENS Entomologist. Hon. NORMAN J. COLMAN, Commissioner of Agriculture. CONTENTS. Report on the production and manufacture of Buhach Additions to the third report on the causes of the destruction of the evergreen and other forest trees in Northern New England .......-...-.-..-...---..--- Wi Pheveeriodrcal Cicada in Southeastern Indiana-...--. .-<-.<..c00 eseeme cece 24 MESLONIOUELMOMV OAT Semen e eae ere mene ators aicct's oie chelatn'w ee eae araieiais 32 PRODUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF BUHACH. By D. Ws COQUILLETT. DEAR Srr: In accordance with your written request for me to pre- pare a report upon the growth, manufacture, &e., of the insect powder known as ** Buhach”, as practiced by the Buhach Producing and Manu- facturing Company, of Stockton, Cal., I beg leave to submit the follow- ing: For much of the information contained herein I am. indebted to Mr. G. N. Milco, one of the proprietors of the above firm, and also to the pages of the Pacific Rural Press. I obtained much information con- cerning this new industry while staying at the company’s plantation last summer when investigating the locust plague for the Department. The Buhach Producing and Manufacturing Company’s plantation is situated about one mile east of Atwater Station, in Merced County, and contains 800 acres, 300 of which are planted to Pyrethrum cineraricfolium, from the dried flowers of which the above company manufacture the insect powder to which they have given the proprietary name of Bu- hach.* The soil of this plantation is a sandy ioam, so sandy in fact that when the growing upon it of the Pyrethrum plants was first at- tempted many of the plants were buried beneath the loose, drifting sand which was blown about by the winds. To overcome this evil, lines of Lombardy and Carolina poplar trees were planted along the banks of the irrigating ditches to serve as wind-breaks. The great Merced Irrigating Canal passes through the middle of the Buhach plantation, and the latter is supplied with water from it by a system of irrigating ditches which, if extended in any one direction, would reach to a distance of about thirty miles. The seeds of the Pyrethrum are sown in the spring or fall of the year, and are buried in the soil to the depth of about half an inch by lightly disturbing the soil with a rake. The seed-beds, which are not unlike those used for starting cabbage and tomato plants, are occasionally sprinkled with water: During the rainy winter season the plants are transplanted to the fields, where they are set out in rows four feet apart, and two feet apart in the rows. During the dry summer season the plants are irrigated about once every month. *The word Buhach is derived from the Sclavonie word Buha, which signifies a flea; but there is no such word as Buhach in the Sclavyonie language. 7 8 In preparing the ground for irrigation a deep furrow is made between each two rows of the plants by means of a plow drawn by one horse; this plow is so constructed as to throw the dirt to each side of the fur- row. After one of the fields has been thus furrowed out, a cross-furrow is made at the ends of these furrows on the highest ground, and the water is turned into this cross-furrow from one of the irrigating ditches. From this furrow the water isin turn let into one of the other furrows, one or two at a time, according to the amount of water supplied by the cross-furrow. : Dams are placed in the irrigating furrows at a distance of about one rod apart, and as soon as the furrow is filled with water to the first dam the latter is removed, and the water flows on to the second dam, and at the proper time this one is also removed; and this process is repeated until all the furrows have been supplied with water. The next day or so a one-horse cultivator is run once or twice through each of these furrows, for the purpose of filling them up, and also to loosen up the soil to prevent its drying out too rapidly. If the field is weedy the men follow with hoes, and cut out the weeds. In this manner the plants are treated until the time for gathering the flowers arrives, with the exception that the irrigating is dispensed with during the rainy winter season. A few of the plants will produce flowers the first year after having been transplanted to the fields, but they produce the most profusely about the third year. The majority of the plants now growing upon the Buhach plantation are six years old, and still bear well. A certain proportion of the plants die every year, and their places are supplied with young plants during the winter season. The flowers are gathered during the months of May or June. The operator seizes all of the flower-stems growing upon one plant in one of his hands, and with the other cuts them off 3 or 4 inches above the ground by means of a sharp, hooked knife resembling an old-fashioned hand-sickle. They are then conveyed to a wooden stand to which is affixed an iron comb, the teeth of which are wide enough apart to per- mit the flower-stems to pass between them, but are sufficiently close to- gether to catch the fower-heads. The operator takes a handful of the flower-stems, catching them below all of the flowers, and passes the stems between the teeth of the iron comb, the latter being between his hand and the lowest flower; then giving his hand a jerk the flowers are pulled off of the stems and fall into a wooden box, while the stems are thrown to one side out of the way, to be burned as soon as dry enough. The flowers are spread out to dry, and at night are covered up to pre- vent the dew from falling upon them, which would naturally injure their insecticidal qualities. As soon as they have been thoroughly dried they are put into sacks and sent in car-load lots to the mill at Stockton, Arriving at the mill the flowers are fed to a set of burr mill-stones, just as wheat is handled in making flour by the old process. The grist 9 is carried by an elevator to a separator which, by proper sieves, sepa- rates the coarser particles of the grist, allowing only the finest, dust- like powder to pass through. This powder is carried by an elevator to an adjoining building, where it is put up in tin cans for the market, while the coarser particles thrown off by the separator are returned to the millstones again. The flowers become considerably heated while being reduced to a powder, but the latter, in passing through a large series of elevators, loses its heat to a great degree before it is put into the cans for the market. This powder is put up in tin cans of five different sizes, holding re- spectively 2 ounces, 5 ounces, 10 ounces, 1 pound and 6 pounds. The 2 ounce and 5-ounce cans are packed into boxes containing a dozen cans, and also into cans of 12 dozen cans each; the 10-ounce and 1- pound cans are packed into boxes containing a dozen cans each, and the 6 pound can into boxes holding 6 cans. Each can of powder bears the company’s trade-mark, which is a guar- antee of the purity of the powder contained therein. The design of this trade-mark consists of an enlarged figure of a flea above, and a figure of a grasshopper below, while between them are the words: ‘Buhach: G. N. Miico’s California Universal Insect Exterminator,” and in the upper corners are the words ‘“Trade-mark.” The essential ele- ment of this trade-mark is the word Buhach. Mr. Milco informs me that two years ago a certain firm doing busi- ness in this State undertook to put a fictitious article upon the market under the name of Buhach; the Buhach Producing and Manufacturing Company brought a suit against them, but as the said suit has not been decided up to the present writing it is impossible to say what the out- come will be. Mr. Milco made the first experiment to introduce the growth of the Pyrethrum cineraricfolium into this State in the year 1870. In 1873 he sold a few pounds of the powder, at the rate of $16 per pound. In 1878 he raised about 900 pounds of the powder, which at first he sold at the . tate of $4.50 per pound, but finally reduced the price to $1.25 per pound. In the year 1879 Mr. J. D. Peters united with Mr. Milco in the culti- vation of the Pyrethrum cinerariefolium and the manufacture of Buhach, under the firm name of the ‘“*Bubach Producing and Manufacturing Company,” and for several years they sold the Buhach at the rate of 75 cents per pound, wholesale. The present price of the Buhach is as follows: The 6-pound cans are sold to the largest wholesale dealers at from 45 to 50 cents"per pound; the wholesale dealers seil them to retail deal- ers at the rate of 5645 cents per pound, when a case of six cans is pur- chased at one time, but when less than a case is taken the price is 60 cents per pound. Theretail dealers sell these cans to consumers at the rate of 75 cents per pound when the whole can is purchased at one time, 10 but when only a fractional part of the can is wanted the price is $1 per pound. The 1-pound cans are sold to wholesale dealers at the rate of $115.20 per gross, less 15 per cent. discount; these are sold to the retail dealers at the rate of $9.60 per dozen, and these dealers sell them to consumers at the rate of $1.25 per can. The 10-ounce cans are sold to wholesale dealers at the rate of $63 per gross, less 15 per cent. discount; the wholesale dealers sell them to retail dealers at $5.25 per dozen, and the latter charge the consumers 75 cents per can. The 2-ounce cans are sold to wholesale dealers at the rate of $18 per gross, less 15 per cent discount.; the retail dealers pay $1.50 per dozen for these cans and sell them to consumers at the rate of 25 cents per can. The company also puts up a small sample box of the Buhach, which is mailed to all applicants free of charge. _ The company has two different kinds of instruments for distributing the dry Buhach powder. One of these is called an “ insufflator,” and somewhat resembles a tin oil-can, such as is commonly used for oiling sewing-machines, but the distributing tube is placed low down on one side, while on the upper side is a tube, open at both ends and projecting into the can; this tube contains a piston which, when pushed down- ward, throws the Buhach out of the distributing tube in a fine shower, while a spring again pushes the piston upward in its proper place as soon as the pressure from above has been removed. This instrument is held in one hand and the piston is operated by the thumb of the same hand. It is intended for distributing the Buhach in places where only a small quantity of it is required. . It was formerly constructed with an opening in the piston leading into the interior of the insufflator, through which the latter was filled with the Buhach, the opening being afterwards closed with a tight-fit- ting cork; but an improvement has lately been made by having nearly the whole bottom in the form of a screw-cap, like that on glass fruit- jars, which can be removed by being unscrewed; by this arrangement the insufflator can be filled much easier and quicker than by the old. way. The present price of this insufflator is 25 cents each. The second instrument, referred to above, is intended for distributing the dry Buhach in large quantities. It consists of a tin can somewhat resembling a common lard-can holding 5 pounds of lard. In the lower part of the can, upon one side, is an opening, into which the nozzle of a small hand-bellows is inserted, while on the opposite side, also near the bottom of the can, is a smaller opening, leading into a spoon-shaped nozzle on the outside. ‘This nozzle is furnished with a slide, so arranged as to regulate the quantity of the buhach that is forced through it by the bellows. The top of the can has an opening 4 inches in diameter, —— HP: and is closed by a tightly-fitting screw-cap, similar to that of a glass fruit-jar. The price of this instrument is $2.50. For applying the Buhach and water the company has a small pump, which is attached to a galvanized iron vessel holding about 8 gallons. To this pump is attached 10 feet of rubber hose, to the end of which is affixed a small iron tube 5 feet in length, and so constructed that sev- eral of them can be fastened together, end to end. ‘To the tip of this is attached a cyclone nozzle, which is screwed on to the end of the iron tube. This nozzle was introduced by the Department of Agriculture a few years ago, and is far superior to any other nozzle that I have ever seen. The pump consists of a strong brass tube about 2 feet in length, into which is fitted a piston or plunger, which is operated by one hand, while with the other the tube containing the nozzle is moved about at the will of the operator. The present price of this pump, complete, is $15. The cost of setting out an acre of Pyrethrum plants varies considerably, but should not exceed $90. If the plants are set out in rows 4 feet apart, and 2 feet apart in the rows, it will require about 5,445 plants to the acre. The plants should not cost more than 1 cent apiece, if grown by the person intending to plant them out, and the Buhach Company offers to send a package of the seeds of Pyrethrwm cinerariefolium sufficient to. plant an acre for the sum of $5. | There will be little or no income from the plants the first year that they are transplanted to the fields. After the second year the plants will yield from 300 to 600 pounds of dried flowers to the acre, but when the winter is dry and cold the plants will not yield more than 150 to 200 pounds of dried flowers per acre the following season. The kind of Pyrethrum now grown upon the Buhach Company’s plan- tation is the cinerariefoium. There are a few plants of the P. roseum growing in their nursery, but this species is not considered by them to be so desirable as the former species, although it is hardier and easier to start from the seeds. Whena flower of the cinerariwfolium is crushed it gives forth a very strong odor peculiar to itself, and doubtless exist- ing in the insect-destroying property of these flowers. The flowers of P. roseum give forth no odor when crushed, and the powder made from them is far inferior to that made from the flowers of cinerariafolium, as far as its insecticidal qualities are concerned. The flowers of all of the cinerarievfolium plants appear at the same season of the year, or within a short time of each other, thus permitting the whole field to be harvested at one time, whereas the roseum is much more irregular in its Howering, continuing to produce flowers during the greater part of the summer season, sometimes producing a second crop of tlowers the same season, but it does not blossom as profusely as the cinerariefolium. 12 The insect-destroying property of Buhach consists of a volatile oil which, in evaporating, exhales a gas that causes death by asphyxia to those insects which breathe it, producing a similar effect upon insects that chloroform and ether have upon human beings. But, what is very singular, while being so destructive to insect life, Buhach has no injuri- ous effect upon human beings. That such is really the case can easily be proved by a visit to the company’s mill at Stockton when in fall operation. At such times the air in the room where the flowers are ground into powder is filled with the fine, dust-like particles of the powder; many of the workmen are ecbliged to remain in this room con- tinuously for several hours at a time, and take no more precautions against breathing the powder than a miller takes against inhaling the fine particles of flour in his mill; and yet they never suffer from the effects of thus inhaling the fine particles of the Buhach powder. Neither is the Buhach poisonous to either man or animals who eat some of it by chance or otherwise. Mr. Milco writes me that a tea- spoonful of the alcoholic extract of Buhach was administered to a cer- tain person afflicted with tape-worm; the dose was repeated every hour for ten consecutive hours, with the effect of removing the tape-worm without in the least degree injuring the patient. Neither is Buhach poisonous to insects. I have seen locusts feed upon cabbage leaves that had been so thoroughly sprayed with a solu- tion of Buhach and water that the leaves were thickly covered with Buhach after the water had evaporated ; still the locusts were not at all injured by thus feeding upon it. At the stables of the Buhach plantation several tons of the dried stems of the Pyrethrum cinerariefolium were fed to the horses; the lat- ter appeared to relish it very much, and I could not discover that they were injured in the least by thus feeding upon these stems. It is this perfect immunity from poisonous or other injurious qualities to those using it that has given to Buhach a prominent position among our insecticides, and makes it a perfectly safe remedy to use about the house. While in one form or another it is so destructive to insect life, still it appears to have little or no effect upon the eggs; it also is not so fatal in its effects upon the pupe or chrysalids of those insects which pass through a quiet pupa state as it is to the larve and to the adult insects. It appears to have the greatest effect upon the higher forms of insect lite, while the lower or more or less degraded forms are not so easily affected by it. Buhach is sometimes applied in a dry state, but for out-door purposes this occasions a great loss, since the finer particles of the powder will float in the air, and be carried away by the wind. A much more satis- factory way of applying it is to mix it in water and spray the insects with the solution. 13 As the Buhach at first merely paralyzes the insect, it is necessary that this influence upon the latter should continue until death results. To aceomplish this some viscid substance should be combined with the solution of Buhach and water, in order to cause the solution to adhere to the insects for a sufficient length of time to deprive the latter of their lives. One of the best known substances of this kind is glucose, a semi- liquid refuse of sugar refineries. This substance combines readily with the Buhach solution, and does not appear to have an injurious effect upon the plants that have been sprayed with it. A low grade of brown sugar would doubtless answer the same purpose, although not in an equal degree, not being so viscid when mixed with water. Besides using the Buhach in a dry form, and mixing it with water, it is sometimes also mixed with alechol. in the proportion of 1 pound of Buhach to a quart of alcohol; this should stand in a closed vessel for an hour or so, when it may be diluted with water to any extent required. In regard to this solution Prof. E. W. Hilgard, of the University of Cali- fornia, writes as follows to the Pacific Rural Press of May 5, 1883 (p. 413): ‘7 find that the effect of the Buhach is materially increased in dura- tion when instead of the tea the diluted tincture is used, as was sug- gested by Professor Riley two years ago. The reason is that the alco- hol extracts with the essential oil also a green resin, which prevents the too rapid evaporation of the volatile oil, and makes it stick to the insect. ‘* A quart of alcohol to a pound of powder is the best proportion, but less alcohol may beused. ‘The alcohol may simply be left on the powder for an hour, and the whole then put into 45 or 50 gallons of water, if to be used through a ‘San José nozzle.’ But it is far better to let the alcohol percolate through the powder, and thus get a clear tincture, of which aliquot parts may at any time be used through any nozzle what- soever, after proper dilution with water. Thus it becomes a great con- venience, since the insecticide solution is ready at any moment without need of boiling or dissolving,and thus the work may be done just when wanted without any preparation. I find a solution made as above quite strong enough for any ordinary insect, including the hairy cater- pillar, which at first seems not to mind it much, but after a while tum- bles down and succumbs after vain efforts to crawl away. I have not had an opportunity of trying it upon the Diabrotica or ‘spotted lady- bug,’ but am told that it also succumbs despite its ability to eat almost anything from tobacco to belladonna and henbane. AIl the aphids yield to it at once, as does the Red Spider when. hatched; but it will not kill eggs.” In using the Buhach out of doors the best effect will be obtained when the weather is still and rather cool. In very hot weather the in- secticidal properties of the Buhach evaporate too rapidly, thus render ing its time of action so brief as to permit the insect in many cases to 14 recover. In windy weather the evaporation is also rapid, and the deadly properties of the Buhach are lost, being blown away from the insect, in- stead of being kept where the latter is compelled to breathe it. The following expcriments with Buhach were made the past season either by myself or where I was permitted to witness them in person: Tomato worms—the larve of Macrosila carolina, Linn.—sprayed with a solution composed of one pound of Buhach stirred in ten gallons of water were killed in a few minutes by it. When first sprayed they mani- fested their dislike by jerking their heads and the forepart of the body from side to side, at the same time emitting from their mouths a dark greenish, semi-liquid substance, as almost every locust or grasshopper will do when taken in the hand. The jerking gradually increased in violence, until finally the worms let go their hold of the plants and fell to the ground, where they wriggled around for a short time, and finally expired. I am not aware that a single tomato worm treated with the above solution recovered from its effects. Theabove solution appeared to have no effects upon a Bordered Squash- bug (Largus succinctus). At about 4 o’clock in the afternoon a Twelve-spotted Diabrotica (Dia- brotica duodecim-punctata Fabr.) was immersed in a solution composed of one and one-half pounds of Bubach stirred into five gallous of water ; it was still alive at 9 o’clock, but was dead when examined the next morning. A horned beetle (Notoxrus cavicornis LeC.) was immersed in the same solution and at the same time as the above; it was still alive at 3 o’clock in the afternoon of the next day, but was dead when examined the fol- lowing morning. It became unable to walk about five minutes after it had been immersed, and it remained in that condition, occasionally moving a leg or foot, until it died. Another specimen was sprinkled with the dry powder, but was not killed thereby; this would seem to in- dicate that Buhach wetted so as to adhere to the insect is far more effect- ive than in a dry state, even though it is diluted to a considerable ex- tent with water. A black cricket (Gryllus sp.?) sprayed with the above solution in the evening was dead the next morning. An EHleodes quadricollis Le©. that had been rolled in the pure Buhach was still alive eight days later, although it did not appear to be as sprightly as it was before being treated with the powder. A single application of Buhach, either in a dry state or when mixed with water or with alcohol, will not kill locusts or grasshoppers that have been dusted or sprayed with it. When treated to the powder or to either of the solutions they show signs of its effects in from ten min- utes to half an hour. At first the hind legs are affected, and the in- sects raise them over their backs and kick around for a short time, and finally lose all control of them, crawling about by means of their four anterior legs, and dragging their hind legs aftert hem. After a while 15 the locusts fall down, roll once upon their sides or backs, jerk their legs occasionally, and gradually become quiet. They remain in this condi- tion for a longer or shorter time, and gradually recover, but sometimes a whole day or a day and a half passes after the application has been made before the locusts have wholly recovered from the effects of it.* Although the locusts are not killed by a single application of the Buhach in either of the forms mentioned above, still they do not enjoy the same immunity when treated with an alcoholic extract of Buhach ; a few drops of this extract was dropped upon an adult locust at 1 o’clock in the afternoon, and early the next morning the locust thus treated was dead. This extract is much stronger than the solution of Buhach and alcohol described above, and costs about $3 a pint. It failed to have a fatal effect upon the locusts when diluted with water to any considerable degree. For the destruction of locusts and other insects that the Buhach will not kill outright, it may still be used with advantage by spreading blankets upon the ground beneath the tree or shrub infested with these insects, and then dusting the latter with the Buhach, or spraying with one of the solutions; this will have the effect of causing the insects to fall upon the blankets in a perfectly helpless condition, when they can easily be gathered up and be destroyed by burning or otherwise. In order to give some idea of what success other persons have met with in using Buhach for the purpose of destroying various kinds of injurious insects, I will give a few extracts from communications made by the parties using this insecticide. The following is extracted from a communication which appeared in the Pacific Rural Press of January 6, 1883 (p. 12): ‘¢The Buhach powder was mixed with cold water in the proportion of 1 pound of powder to 50 gallons of water. On the 14th instant I sprayed 10 appie trees, the branches of which were literally covered with the Cucum- ber-beetle (Diabrotica vittata), and the result was that these pests im- mediately. fell to the ground in myriads. The spraying was done with a Merigot pump, and the trees were covered a short time only with a fine mist. Although several gallons were mixed, probably not over one gallon was used. I placed in a small.box a number of the beetles that had been touched by the spray, aud up to the present time all efforts to resuscitate them have failed. A small number of the insects which were not touched by the spray were placed in a phial, and are still liv- ing. The Cucumber-beetle plays havoe with pear blossoms and is other- wise destructive, and judging from the very signal success of my late r “J “Locusts appear to be endowed with more life than the generality of insects. On one occasion I saw a hind leg of a Differential Locust (Caloptenus differentialis Thom. ) move after it had been separated from the body for several hours. The femur would draw the tibia foward it, then move it back again; and the last movement of this kind that I saw it make occurred eight hours after the leg had been separated from the body. 16 experiment, I feel confident that I will have very little trouble in stop- ping its ravages during the fruit season._Jos. HALEs.” The following appeared in the same journnal for October 13, 1883 (p. 306) : ‘‘ This year, with increased yards and more extensive plans, I had scarcely commenced my work when, to my great annoyance, vermin, and especially those mites which infest the nests of sitting hens, came in forces quite appalling. Old remedies were now again employed, but, as before, found insufficient to match the foe. Half discouraged, I was relating my trials to a neighboring druggist; he advised flea powder, and I purchased of him a bottle of Persian insect powder and at once tested its merits. I found it a partial, but only a partial, relief to the few nests where used. Thinking, however, that in this, though imper- fect, remedy I had perhaps a hint, a good suggestion, I at once sent to the producers and manufacturers of Buhach at Stockton, Cal., for a small can of their powder, to test still further that kind of ‘ death to vermin. A package (one-fourth of a pound) of Buhach powder was promptly mailed to me, and used as soon as received. To my gratifica- tion, it seemed to be just the thing I had long been looking for, yet half despaired of ever finding. The first quarter-pound of this powder ‘did the business,’ where used in sufficient quantity; but it was not enough — to go around. So I secured more—two pounds—and I have tested it thoroughly. It is the thing for poultry. It is a success, especially wheu used freely and frequently. I have tested its merits in nests, upon chicks and hens, on roosts, in cracks: and crevices of coops, &¢., and with complete success everywhere, I believe. This Buhach powder is the cleanliest, simplest, most easily applied, and safest remedy for ver- min which I have yet found good enough.”—Poultry Grower. For further experiments with Buhach, I would refer the reader to the back numbers of the American Naturalist, and also to the several Re.- ports of Prof. C. V. Riley, as entomologist to the Department of Agri- culture, contained in the Annual Reports of that Department. D. W. COQUILLETT. Prof. C. V. RILEY, : Entomologist. ADDITIONS TO THE THIRD REPORT ON THE CAUSES OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE EVERGREEN AND: OTHER FOREST TREES IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. By A. S. PACKARD. INTRODUCTORY NOTE. In Dr. Packard’s third report, prepared for the Report of the Ento- mologist, Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture for 1885, was contained certain matter, mainly descriptive, which, though valuable, was considered hardly appropriate for a report which it is desired to make severely plain and practical. This matter was, therefore, pruned from the Annual Report and is published here in the more limited edi- tion of the Bulletin.—(C. V. R.) 7 THE BLACK-HEADED SPRUCE BUD WORM. (Teras variana, n. sp., Fernald.) This caterpillar isso commonly met with on the spruce and fir that we have given it the above English name, though there are other species which have green bodies and black heads. We first met with it on the terminal shoots of the Black Spruce on Peaks Island, in Portland Har- bor, June 22, 1881, and also at Brunswick and Harpswell on the day following, when it was associated with the caterpillars of the Spruce Bud-worm (Tortriz fumiferana). Unlike that species it does not, so far as-we have observed, cause any decided alteration in the appearance of the shoots of the tree, not being social or abundant enough to strip the leaves from a single shoot, as in the case of the Spruce Bud-worm, or the Reddish-yellow Spruce Bud-worm (Steganoptycha ratzeburgiana) found on the White Spruce last season. The egg-laying habits are not yet known, as none of the moths on issuing from the chrysalis mated or proceeded to deposit eggs. The caterpillars usually live near the ends of the shoots, feeding on the new leaves, which begin to grow out early in June; cutting off the tender leaves, they make a passage-way between them and the shoot, which they line with white silk. When disturbed they rapidly crawl out of their silken retreat and let themselves down to the ground by a 17334—No. 12 2 17 18 silken thread. They are very active in their habits ond in confinement in tin boxes will squeeze through the narrow space between the box and the cover, so that only an unusually tightly closed box will confine them. Sometimes, at least in two instances, the caterpillars construct a case of the leaves which they had cut off at the end of a fresh bud. The caterpillars were very abundant this year in spruce and firs on the shores and islands of Casco Bay, from June 10 until July 20. As full-grown larve are abundant during the early part of June, it seems that it hibernates among the shoots of the tree during the winter, and that as in the case of the Spruce Bud-worm (Tortrix fumiferana) it hatches in August, or at least late in the suinmer, and becomes nearly fully grown before cold weather sets in. The caterpillar when fully grown is of the usual shape of a leaf-roller, deep green, with a dark reddish head and cervical shield; before the last molt the head and prothoracie or cervical shield are black. From the 14th to the 16th of June the caterpillars change to chrys- alides within the slight white cocoon they spin among the bases of the leaves next tothe shoot. The moths begin to issue early in August, and continue to appear until the middle of the month. In one case the insect pupated from July 6th to the 10th, the moth issuing on the 19th; hence the pupal period lasts about two weeks. Others which pupated July 14 to 16 appeared three weeks later. None of the-insects lingered in the pupa state beyond the 14th of August. The moths are subject to great variation, the details of which are given in the description. In their color they are assimilated to the moss-covered bark of the larger branches of the trees they rest on. The caterpillars are sometimes preyed upon by ichneumons, two small Ichneumonide having been bred from pupz in confinement. No Chalecid parasites have yet been observed to prey upon this species. Should the worms attack shade or ornamental firs and spruces, they can be subdued by spraying and striking the branches and shoots so as to dislodge the worms. DESCRIPTIVE. Larva before the last molt.—Body pale green, nearly of the color of the fresh leaves, with the head and cervical or prothoracic shield black. Length, 10-11™™. Full-grown larva.—Body pale pea-green, moderately thick, gradually tapering from the middle to the end of the body. Head of the usual shape, somewhat bilobed, not , so wide as the body; dull reddish amber, or greenish-yellow amber-colored in front ; partly brownish-black behind and on the sides, the black forming two patches on the vertex. Prothoracic or cervical shield black on a greenish ground; varying to greenish-amber edged behind with blackish ; sutures and lateral ridge slightly tinged with yellowish. On the body-segments the piliferous warts green, not distinct ; arranged as usnal in a trapezoid. Thoracic legs greenish amber-colored, first pair larger and darker than the others; abdominal legs pale green, concolorous with the body. Length, 12-14™™. Pupa.—Body rather slender, the double rows of dorsal spines as usual, but the spines are smaller and not so sharp as usual. End of the abdomen broad, square, and much flattened vertically, with a small down-curved spine on each side; on the square edge of the tip are from four to sixslender, small, curved, stiff bristles. There 1 are two similar bristles on the under side within the edge of the squaretip. Length, 8-gum, Moth.—Head white or subochreous; palpi dull gray, with white scales. Thorax _ either white and black or reddish ochreous with white scales. Fore wings with the basal third either black, gray or snow white; usually dark gray; on the outer edge of the dark portion are two groups of sharply raised scales. Beyond is an irregular white band, the white sometimes obscured by gray scales; this band is very irregu- lar in width, being narrow on the costa, widening towards the middle of the wing ; it is indented on the inner side at the second tuft of raised scales; where the band is widest, viz., on the outer edge behind the middle of the wing, is a deep sinus, very distinet in those specimens where the band is white; on each side of the mouth of the sinus is a sharp tuft of raised black scales, and within (one near the costa) are the smaller tufts. In those specimens in which the rest of the wing is whitish there is a large triangular dark spot, with the base resting on the costa; usually, however, the outer third of the wing is dusky or clear gray, with dark specks and clouds, and the triangular patch is obscured. Sometimes when the wing is clear gray the veins on the outer third are hardly clouded with a darker shade of gray. Hind wings and abdomen slate gray. Expanse of wings, 12-15™™, This is a very variable moth, but the four or five raised tufts are nearly always present. Some striking varieties are here noted : (a) Fore wings gray, with a broad whitish-gray band just before the middle of the wing; the large dark triangular spot not present. (b) The outer third of the wing concolorous with the band, thus leaving a large distinct triangular spot. (c) Fore wings snow white at base, with a snow-white band near the base, in the outer edge of which the sinus is very distinct; the outer third of the wing is either white or blackish. (d) The base of the fore wings clear, deep ochreous, and ochreous streaks on the thorax. (e) The most aberrant form, and which would readily be referred to a distinct spe- cies if it had not been reared from the same kind of caterpillar. It has a dark, gray- ish-white head, and two black bands on the thorax. The fore wings are dark gray, finely lined and mottled with black, but interrupted by a broad, very conspicuous, clear ochreous band extending from the base of the wing to the apex, inclosing the median vein and submedian fold. There is only a single high black tuft on the lower edge of the basal third of the wing. One appeared July 30, and another August 20. Hind wings dark slate gray, with an obscure ochreous slash at the apex. The following description was prepared by Professor Fernald from five specimens sent him: Head and palpi ashy gray, the latter a little darker on the outside. The thorax is dark ashy gray, with a few blackish cross-streaks on the forward part of if, and there is a stout thoracic tuft tipped with reddish brown on the posterior part. The fore wings are ashy gray, variegated with black and white, with a few yellow- ish scales intermingled. The basal patch is black, more or less broken with whitish, and has three black tufts of scales on the outer edge—one on the fold, another on the cell, and the third between this last and the costa. An oblique band, white on the costa, but suffused below, starts from the basal third of the costa and crosses the wing outside of the basal patch. The inner margin of this band is slightly an- gulated, the most prominent angle being on the fold. The outer side of the band gives off a prominent angle on the cell, which ends at a large tuft of black scales near the end of the cell, and there are several other tufts along the outer margin of this band. The surface of the outer part of the wing is of a somewhat leaden blue color, especially when worn, and mottled with black, white, and yellow scales, - 20 but the black is mostly in coarse streaks containing several small tufts. The costa beyond the middle is blackish, with three small white spots at nearly equal dis- tances apart. The fringes of the fore wings, the upper side of the hind wings and abdomen are darker gray with a silky lustre. The under side of the hind wings is lighter, with darker cross-streaks or reticulations, which are much brighter to- wards the apex. The under side of the fore wings is dark gray, except along the costal border, where the markings of the upper side are dimly reproduced. The legs are brown on the outside, but pale yellowish within and on the end of the joints. This seems to be a very variable species, and at first sight one might think that there were more than one species. One variety has the top of the head yellowish, and the oblique band and outer part of the wing dull whitish and slightly touched with yellowish. Another va- riety is quite dark, and has a broad bright ochre yellow band through the middle of the fore wing, from the base to the apex. A third variety, in very poor condition and bred on white spruce in Ashland, Me., has the head white and the basal part of the fore wings white with only slight traces of the black tufts and markings. Expanse of wings, 14™™ (Fernald). THE FIR TORTRIX. (Toririx packardiana, n. sp., Fernald.) This moth was bred from the fir on Peaks Island, Casco Bay, Maine, ~ and sent to Professor Fernald, who regarded it as new and sent us the following description: . Head whitish; palpi and thorax ashy gray; fore wings with a whitish ground color, and marked with black, which is more or less overlaid with pale bluish or whitish scales. The black basal patch has an obtuse angle pointing out on the mid- dle of the wings. An oblique black band broken in the cell crosses the middle of the wing. A black patch rests on the costa before the apex, marked with one or two white costal spots; a similarly colored patch within and abovethe anal angle, and still another on the outer border inclosing the apex, sends in a square projection to- wards the end of the cell. All the black markings are overlaid more or less with white scales, and the white portions of the wings are somewhat stained with gray. The fringes are dark smoky brown. The hind wings and abdomen above are ashy gray. Fringes lighter. Under side of the fore wings ashy gray, with the white costal marks reproduced. Under side of the hind wings whitish, irrorate with gray. Expanse of wings, 16-18™™. Bred from Fir by Dr. A. 8S. Packard, for whom I name this species in recognition of his extensive and valuable work on North American in- sects. THE RED SPRUCE BUD-WORM. (Gelechia obliquistrigella Chambers.) [Plate I, Fig. 2.] Associated with the preceding bud-worm occurred in abundance, both on the terminal shoots of the spruce and fir, a little reddish ecylindri- cal caterpillar, abont two-thirds as large as the larva of Teras variana, and very active inits habits. It occurred as early as the 10th of June, but it disappeared earlier than the caterpillar of Teras variana, and the moths, which were common, flying in spruce at and soon after the middle of July, were not seen after the first week in August. i744 The caterpillars were beaten from the trees from June 10 to July 17; after that it was impossible to find any of them. The moths began to ap- pear July 16-19, and continued to emerge in the breeding boxes until August 1. The duration of the pupa state is about one week. It is evident that the species is single-brooded and that the caterpil- lar is hatched in August, and becomes nearly full grown in the early autumn, hibernating when nearly full-fed, since the fully grown cater- pillars are abundant by the first week of June. The species has been identified for me by Professor Fernald. It was described from Ken- tucky by Mr. Chambers, but the larva and food-plant have been hitherto unknown. | When about to pupate it spins a small, thin, delicate cocoon, being a tubular case of silk covered with bits of the scales of the spruce or fir buds. It is placed next to the shootin the débris made by the larva at the base of the leaves. Length, 6™~; diameter, 2™™. DESCRIPTIVE. Larva.—Body cylindrical, of the usual form, reddish brown in color, and about 6-7™™ in length. Pupa.—Body rather thick, of the usual pale mahogany brown color, the antenne and tips of the wings on the under side reaching to the middle of the fifth abdominal segment. End of the abdomen full and rounded, with about ten unequal, irregularly situated slender bristles, which are slightly curved at the end; besides these there are several fine bristles along the side of the body near the tip. Length,5™™. Moth.—Head cream white ; antennze with the basal (second) joint white, beyond ringed with white and black. Palpi white, first and second joint speckled with black, second (longest) joint ochreous at the end; third (last) joint with two black rings of unequal size, the outer the longer; the tip white. Fore wings moderately wide, oblong ovate. Ground color ochreous whitish gray; costal region blackish, base black. A broad oblique band proceeds from the costal edge to the middle of the submedian space, ending in two white spots; there are some whitish scales on the outer edge of the band. Just before the middle of the wing is a broad irregular black band, and beyond it in the submedian space a black spot. A third broad black band crosses the wing, ending on the hind margin and breaking up into three black spots on the hind margin; the band incloses near them two twinned white dots. Near the outer fourth of the wing is a conspicuous white line, sharply bent outwards just be- hind the middle of the wing ; beyond the apex of the angle of the line are several white scales. At the base of the fringe is an oblique line of black scales. The fringe, like the adjoining part of the wing, is of mixed gray ochreous, with black scales. Hind wings rather broad, pointed, pearly slate gray. Legs, including tarsi, banded with black. Expanse of wings, 13™™, When rubbed the green color of the fore wings becomes paler, and the three oblique black bands are more distinct. 1HE EVERGREEN SPAN-WORM. (Thera contractata Packard.) A very common caterpillar on various evergreen trees, such as the Spruce, White Pine, Hackmatack, and the bush or common Juniper, is a little green one, striped with white, which is so assimilated in color to the glaucous green leaves with their whitish under side as to enable the caterpillar to escape ordinary observation. 22 During the past summer I have found this caterpillar most frequently on the common Bush Juniper in Maine, but in former years have beaten the cbhrysalids out of the trees already mentioned. The caterpillar is found in July, but becomes fully grown from the Ist to the 15th of August. Before transforming, it spins the leaves together with a few coarse silk threads and remains in the tree. Those reared on the Juniper became chrysalids by the 19th or 20th of August, and the moths appeared by the 9th of September, so that the pupa state lasts about three weeks. The moths continue to appear until the mid- dle or last of September. Those found on the Spruce appeared Septem- ber 15, and a pupa found on the White Pine disclosed the moth Sep- tember 13. Probably by the middle of September all the moths have appeared. Whether they hibernate and lay their eggs in spring, or whether their eggs are Jaid in the autumn on the terminal twigs, and the species is alone represented by the eggs, remains to be ascertained. The moth is easily recognized by the sharp fore wings with the narrow, dark, mesial band, which is black and very narrow on the inner edge, and by the pale zigzag line reappearing beneath, also by the black streak near the apex and a smaller apical black dot. It is closely re- lated to the European 7. juniperata, which feeds on the common Juniper. DESCRIPTIVE. Larva.—Body smooth, cylindrical; head smooth, slightly bilobed, not quite so wide asthe body. Head and body green, the color of the upper side of the juniper leaves on which it feeds. A broad pale glaucous white dorsal band, on each side of which is a yellowish-white line, which extends along the sides of the supra-anal plate, but rot meeting its fellow at the apex. Anal legs broad and large, green, with two tuber- cles which are large and rounded conical. Thoracic legs pink. Length, 16™™. Pupa.—Of the usual family shape; green, with a white lateral stripe from the head to the tip of the abdomen, and another lower down along the abdomen, as well as two parallel dorsal whitish stripes. Abdominal spine larger and Jonger than usual, flat- tened vertically, acute, surface corrugated; two stout terminal bristles excurved at the ends, a much smaller pair at base of these and along the sides of the spines two additional pairs. Length, 6™™, Moth.—Pale ash, base of fore wings with two bent parallel black lines, the outer heavier, and marked with longitudinal stripe on the veinlets. Beyond isa broad pale band slightly bent on the median vein. Still beyond isa median band margined with black, narrowing more than usual on the inner margin of the wing, where the two black margins meet, forming two contiguous black patches; in front the band in- closes obscure ashen ringlets. A black discal dot; beyond, an obscure pale patch. A white zigzag marginal line, the sharp scallops inclosing dark dots. Hind wings uniformly pale ash color, crossed by two dusky lines. Expanse of wings, 25™™ (one inch). THE PINE PHEOCYMA.* (Pheocyma lunifera Hiibn.) DESCRIPTIVE. Larva.—Body long and slender, tapering considerably behind the fourth pair of abdominal legs. Head not so wide as the body, rather deeply bilobed, with a lateral V-shaped white spot. A pair of small prominent tubercles on top of the eighth ab- * This descriptive matter is additional to the note published on p. 327 of the An- nual Report for 1885. 23 dominal segment, and in place of them on the segments is a pair of more widely divergent short black dashes: on the segment next to the last is a transverse ridge. Anal legs long and slender. General color of the body wood or horn brown, of the shade of old twigs, sometimes reddish or greenish. Head marbled with a set of transverse wavy whitish lines on each side of the median line. Body with a lateral row of black dots; beneath, much paler, glaucous green. Length, 35™™, The larve are very variable; in some the body is reddish with longitudinal bands much more distinct than usual; in some the body is pale pea-green, a little paler than the pine leaves; there is a firm, quite wide medio-dorsal line, and on the sides a wider white line next to the broader very conspicuous pale red spiracular line, which is similar in color to the reddish sheath of the pine leaf. Head reddish, with the char- acteristic oval white spots on each side. In others (as pitch pine) the body is beau- tifully marbled with gray and whitish. A Y-shaped white spot on the side of the head. On the segment next to the last abdominal are two small inconspicuous warts, A faint, broad, grayish-white dorsal band, broadly interrupted at the sutures of the segments by an irregular transverse umber-brown stripe. A faint lateral broad band, containing on the side of each segment a clear, white point. Length, 42™™, Pupa.—Of the usual rather slender Catocala shape, covered with a slight whitish bloom. The abdominal tip rather blunt, the surface corrugated with irregular longi- tudinal furrows above and on the sides; spine small, bearing at the end two very large, long stout bristles curved outwardsat the ends, which are blunt; at their base are two pairs of slender bristles. Length, 17™™. Moth.—Body and wings dark ash-gray and reddish brown; thorax crested, dark reddish brown, with two blackish transverse lines. Patagia with a white stripe be- bind the middle and white scales at the tip; hinder part of the thorax dusted with white. Fore wings black and reddish brown at base, with interrupted and broken black and white lines. Within the middle of the wing is a broad, slightly sinuous whitish-gray band.