86 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., 'lO 



MR. ALFRED F. SATTERTHWAIT, of Middletown, Pa., has withdrawn 

 from the position of Assistant Economic Zoologist of Pennsylvania. He 

 will continue to do entomological work and is open for an engagement 

 in that line. 



WORK OF THE LEAF-CUTTER BEES IN IDAHO. (Megachile Species.) 

 The settler in the reclaimed sagebrush lands of the West and South- 

 west, usually turns his first efforts to raising windbreaks and planting 

 trees, if he has any idea of a permanent home, where once was naught 

 but the sage brush, the coyote and the sage hen, "that couldn't get 

 away." 



Among the first trees set out about our house were two ash trees. 

 As soon as foliage began to appear these trees were attacked by 

 Leaf-cutter bees which completely defoliated one and nearly the other. 

 First, we noticed circular holes in many of the leaves, but it was not 

 long until, on going near the trees, one noticed the noise made by the 

 bees at work, almost like a swarm of bees intent on gathering honey. 

 Sometimes we would see a bee with a section of leaf so large it could 

 hardly fly, but working diligently, carrying its burden to a sandy spot 

 just outside the yard, where the bees had their tunnels. During the 

 heat of the day they were so numerous, near their tunnels, that one 

 passer-by was alarmed and inquired what so many bees were doing 

 there. 



The bees continued their work all the first summer when we had 

 no water for irrigation, but confined their cuttings almost or entirely 

 to the two ash trees. The following season, however, I found them 

 working on cherry, apple and poplar trees in same way, but either 

 not so energetically, or their efforts were distributed among more 

 trees, for, on no other trees near us was their work sufficient to de- 

 foliate them. 



We made some effort to protect the trees by covering with netting 

 but fear the ashes have been killed by the persistent work of the Leaf- 

 cutters. 



The past summer I stopped to talk with a friend some fifteen miles 

 from here, who complained that the grasshoppers were taking the 

 leaves from his maple trees. On examination, I found that here, again, 

 the bees were the mischief-makers. 



We are wondering whether the bees will increase in numbers suffi- 

 ciently to do serious injury, but hope that as irrigation progresses, and 

 more trees are planted, their work will be so distributed that the injury 

 will not be worthy of notice. 



So far as observed, but one species of Magachile has appeared. 

 These reclaimed tracts of land offer an excellent opportunity for the 

 student of insects to observe how the species natural to a locality 



