466 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. ^ [Dec., 'l6 



worms and various dipterous and hymenopterous parasites in the lar- 

 val and pupal stages and described by the writer in the February, 1915, 

 number of the Journal of Economic Entomology, page 135. 



For convenience we have galvanized iron trays about YJ, inch deep, 

 made to hold 60 or 70 ounce tin salve boxes, and these trays are fitted 

 in grooves, like the drawers of an insect cabinet, during the summer. 

 As winter approaches, all of the tin boxes are carefully examined, all 

 grain and vegetation removed and soil used which should be sterilized 

 and properly moistened. The soil should be of about the same mois- 

 ture content as is the earth beneath a good sod, or say soil 2 or 3 

 inches below the surface. For inactive forms, such as cocoons, a cell 

 is made in the soil. After this is done and a few nail holes made in 

 the large tin trays to prevent any possible accumulation of water, a 

 cavity is made in one side of a compost heap or pile of earth pre- 

 viously prepared. A layer of straw is placed in the bottom of the 

 cavity and the trays of tin boxes piled one on the other. After they 

 have all been stacked, a sheet iron covering is placed over the top, the 

 pile of trays surrounded with a layer of straw and the whole covered 

 with soil to a depth of 12 to 18 inches, depending on the intensity of the 

 winter in any particular locality. At Lafayette this is usually done 

 early in November and the boxes are removed by the middle of April. 

 JOHN J. DAVIS, Entomological Assistant, U. S. Entom. Lab'y, W. La- 

 fayette, Ind. 



REGARDING question 2: I took a tin box about two feet long, solid 

 on bottom and a few inches up the sides; but with wire sides above 

 and wire top. A few tiny holes in the bottom carried off surplus 

 water. I put in a layer of three inches of growing sphagnum moss, 

 wetting it thoroughly, keeping all winter in a cold but not freezing 

 place, and putting box in the sunlight only when hatching time was 

 about to begin. During the final month I would wet the sphagnum 

 perhaps twice. I laid the pupae in paper cornucopias pinned around 

 the sides of the box, never on the wet moss. I never lost a specimen 

 by mould. I do not believe that anyone had a better percentage of 

 successful hatchings. 



I never put cocoons in this box, only chrysalids and naked pupae, 

 but those of every species obtainable. 



I have had the best results with larvae by not allowing any earth 

 into which to crawl. Dry sphagnum works better. Cithcronia rcgalis 

 is very apt to die if going underground to pupate in confinement. The 

 Sphingidae also pupate better above ground, on the bare bottom of a 

 box, hidden only by sphagnum. R. P. D. 



