THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 35 



NOTES ON SOME INJURIOUS INSECTS OF TEXAS. 



BY F. M. WEBSTER, WOOSTER, OHIO. 



The following fragmentary contributions to a knowledge of a few of 

 the destructive insects of this most interesting State are given here, not 

 so much on account of their present individual value, as for the purpose 

 of drawing attention to the riches in store for the entomological worker 

 who may drift within its borders. In new countries travellers, in 

 passing through, blaze or bark a tree here and there along the way to 

 guide those who may follow after. These notes may be but blazes, but 

 if they prove of aid to others in the future, they will have served their 

 mission. The majoi portion of the material for this notice has been sent 

 me from time to time by my friend, Prof. Geo. W. Curtis, of the A. & M. 

 College, while others have been received from various other correspond- 

 ents. To these I have occasionally added some of my own observations, 

 when they seemed to augment the value of those made by others. 



Early in May I received a number of twigs of Fig, in which were 

 burrowing numerous larvae and adult beetles. Of these last there were 

 Amphicerus bicaudatus, Say, Trogoxylon parallelopipedum, Mels., and a 

 single Sinoxylon basilare, Say. The Trogoxylon have continued to 

 appear throughout the summer up to date (Sept. 29), while one of the 

 larvae of Sinoxylon has only transformed to an adult within the last few 

 days. As I saw adults on Mesquite, burrowing into the wood, in Llano 

 County, in March,* it would appear that their season of appearance is 

 somewhat protracted, especially as I have since reared them from this 

 same lot of Fig twigs in May, June, August and September. 



In April, specimens of Blapstinus auripilis, Horn, were sent me from 

 the vicinity of Galveston, where they were said to be destroying 

 watermelon vines, the beetles being found in great numbers on 

 the ground beneath the vines, while the plants withered and died. The 

 beetles were alive when received, and, having no melon vines, I placed 

 them on cucumber, which they refused, but ate the young plants of 

 Polygonum which were growing among them. The accusation in regard 

 to the destruction of melons, however, will need to be sustained by fur- 

 ther observation, as they might have died from some bacterial or other 

 disease, the beetles, though present, having nothing to do with the disease. 

 Chinch bugs, Blissus leucopterus, Say, were reported abundant in the 

 central southern portion of the State in April, but I have no information 



*Insect Life 3, 454. 



