ENTOMOLOGY 



C. T. VORHIES 



The research time of this department during the year 1919- 

 1920 was cut in half by necessary teaching work, including the 

 regular courses in General Entomology, and also a new course in 

 Beekeeping for Federal Board students. 



Work on the Adams Fund grazing range rodent project was 

 pushed as much as possible throughout the year, but with some 

 weather interference at the times free from class work. Trips 

 have been made to the Range Reserve each month of the year 

 with the exception of May, 1920. Unexpected difficulty developed 

 in securing live jackrabbits for the enclosure, coyotes taking them 

 from the traps before morning in some cases. Not until June, 1920, 

 were the necessary rabbits secured and the success of their installa- 

 tion in the enclosure is still problematical. Kangaroo rats on two 

 occasions were placed in the enclosure built for that purpose, but 

 in both cases have shortly disappeared in some undetermined 

 manner. Some excellent results on the life history of Dipodomys 

 spectahilis, the large kangaroo rat, were secured and it is hoped to 

 complete this phase of the work in the following year. 



Some progress has been made in adding to the insect collec- 

 tions under the Hatch Fund, though assistance in arranging and 

 classifying the material is badly needed to further this work. Of 

 especial interest at this time is the collection of insects taken from 

 the Arizona wild cotton, Thiirbcria fhcspcsioidcs. A large number of 

 insect species has been reported as occurring more or less regularly 

 on this plant, some of which are of economic importance as poten- 

 tial pests of cultivated cotton. During the autumn of 1919 con- 

 siderable scouting work was done on Thnrheria in cooperation wicli 

 a representative of the Federal Horticultural Board, and in the 

 course of this work the collecting of Thnrheria insects was carried 

 on. It is planned to continue this collecting in connection with 

 certain experimental work on a specific form which is planned for 

 next year, the aim being to make this special cidlection complete 

 as soon as possible. 



In order to carry on the beekeeping work on a teaching basis 

 it was necessary to add considerable equipment and to work pri- 

 marily for extracted rather than for comb honey. The season of 

 1920 thus far has been very favorable in the Tucson region, and 

 already sufficient honey nearly to })ay for the additional equip- 

 ment has been produced. 



