Tree Hoppers, being members of the same order, feed upon the juices of plants, through their suckers, and are thus injurious; but their numbers are not sufficient to render them of much consequence.
Palæothrips mali, (Fitch), is the name of an insect described by Dr. Fitch[39] as infesting apple trees in the month of August, where they were attacking the fruit. They excavated a little hollow near the blossom end of the apple about the size of a pea, which was occupied by small insects. Until the habits of the insect are more thoroughly understood, it will be difficult to advise any remedies.
There is quite a number of insects in this class that affect the grape vine, some of which may become troublesome, and we should watch their habits. The following accounts are condensed from Dr. Fitch's Report:
Raphigaster sarpinus, or the large Green Tree-bug, is grassy-green, edged with yellow, and a black point at every joint of the abdomen; found in September.
Pentatoma ligata, or the Bound Tree-bug, is also grassy-green, but more widely bordered all round, except the head, with pale red, and has a pale red spot on the middle of its back and on the apex of its scutel; antennæ green.
Arma modesta, or the Modest Tree-bug, is tawny, yellowish-gray, thickly dotted with brown punctures; the wing-covers are red at the apex of their leathery portion, and have a brown spot at the tip of the hyaline portion; the under side is whitish, with a row of black dots along the middle, and another on each side.
Thelia univittata, (Harris), or the Single-striped Treehopper, is chestnut-brown, shaped like a beech-nut, with a perpendicular protuberance on the fore part of its back, higher than wide. It is tawny white in front, a white stripe along the back to the tip; length 0.37 inch; July and August.
Ceresa bubalus, or Buffalo Treehopper, is of a light grass-green, freckled with whitish dots; with a sharp short point on each side, projecting like horns.
Ceresa taurina, is like the preceding, but the space between the horns is concave.
Acutalis dorsalis, is a small, triangular, shining Treehopper, with a smooth round back; it is greenish-white, with a large black spot, from the anterior corners of which a line runs off to each eye. Plentiful about the last of July, a few remaining until October.