Report of Observations of Injurious Insects and Common Farm Pests, During the Year 1895 : With Methods of Prevention and Remedy (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Report of Observations of Injurious Insects and Common Farm Pests, During the Year 1895: With Methods of Prevention and Remedy

Looking at the insect attacks of last year in coincidence with the above-mentioned severe cold, we find that though there was not any widespread devastating attack of any one kind of insect all over the country, yet there were seriously injurious outbreaks of various kinds which winter in such methods as to expose them thoroughly to weather action, and thus show that cold cannot be looked to for protection.

The eggs of the Winter Moth (of which the caterpillars were one of the very bad attacks last year) are laid for the most part in the early winter on buds, twigs, &c of orchard and other trees, where they are exposed to all weather, snow, thaw, frost, sunshine, and wind sweeping by to intensify the cold. The Pine-shoot Moth caterpillars (see p. 73) were obviously none the worse for their winter residence in their shelters at the end of the shoots. On the surface Of the ground, the bad attack sent me at the beginning-of April of the Cabbage Root-gall Weevil showed that these were uninjured by the then recently preceding cold. The unusually bad attacks of Gooseberry Sawfly caterpillar in the summer showed that the preceding generation had passed the winter very successfully in their cocoons just below the surface.

Crane Flies, or Daddy Longlegs grubs, may be found more or less from December onwards, and, weather permitting, sometimes are exceedingly mischievous at corn-roots in February; and the great damage to grass-roots at Langholm, Dumfries-shire (see p. In the past season may be taken as a proof that these grubs are not cleared out.by ground cold.

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