ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 55 



The wheat-head army worm (Meliana albilinea) as a timothy pest, R. L. 

 Webster {Iowa Sta. Bui. 122, pp. 32Jf-347, figs. 15). — During the summer of 

 1910 this iusect became very abuudant in northern Iowa and caused a large 

 amount of damage, in some fields from 50 to 90 per ceut of the timothy heads 

 being injured. Their injury is caused by gnawing into the heads of timothy, 

 wheat, rye, and other small grains, the timothy being preferred. The worms 

 commence feeding at the bottom of the head and work upward, sometimes eat- 

 ing only one side or even less and sometimes taking practically all but the 

 stem. Badly injured fields appear dry and brown in July and the denuded 

 timothy heads are conspicuous even at some little distance. 



The past history, destructiveness, distribution, food plants, classification, 

 life history, and natural enemies of this pest are dealt with, together with a 

 bibliography of 24 titles. The species appears to be a native of America, where 

 it is found from Nova Scotia to Alberta in the North, to Delaware and New 

 Jersey in the East, and at Glenwood Springs, Colo., and southern Arizona in 

 the West. It has also been reported to occur in Mexico, Chile, and Argentina. 

 In addition to timothy, it has been found to feed upon wheat, barley, rye, oats, 

 sweet corn, sorghum, wild rice, Indian corn, and various grasses. 



The author finds 2 distinct generations to occur in Iowa. Emerging in the 

 spring from the pupal stage in which the winter is passed, eggs are deposited 

 which commence to hatch toward the latter part of May. The young larvae 

 begin to feed first on the tender green leaves of young timothy plants and later 

 attack the heads. By the first of July some of the caterpillars are full grown, 

 although they are not common until about the middle of that month. Matui*e 

 larvsB go into the soil to transform, the moths appearing again in August. The 

 second genei'ation of worms first appear in the field about the middle of August. 

 The author's observations indicate that in the spi'ing the eggs are deposited on 

 the crown of timothy plants only, whereas in August they are deposited in the 

 sheath of the plant. From 3 to 10 days are required for their incubation, and 

 about a month for the larva to complete its growth and enter the ground. In 

 16 cases 31 days was the average time spent as a pupa, the range being from 

 18 to 50 days. Technical descriptions of the egg, 7 larval instars, pupa, and 

 adult are included. 



Three tachiuid parasites ( Winthemia qua4ripustulata, Euphorocera claripeiv- 

 iiis, and Metachceta helymus) were reared from the larvae, the first-named being 

 by far the most common. Three hymenopterous parasites {Microgaster auripes, 

 MicropUUs n. sp., and Paniscus geminatus) were also bred from the larvse, the 

 former being the most common. Pcntarthron retorriclus was bred from the eggs 

 and Apanteles Iceviceps is reported to have been reared from larvse collected in 

 New Mexico. 



As preventive and remedial measures the author recommends keeping the 

 wild grasses cut along the roadsides and fence corners, early fall plowing which 

 will bury the half grown caterpillars, and early fall pasturing (i. e., before the 

 middle of September) to throw the second brood of caterpillars out of food. 



A generic synopsis of the Itonidse, E. P. Felt {Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc, 19 

 {1911), No. 1, pp. 31-62). — The author here presents the results of studies of 

 the American species, many of the types of European genera, and the literature 

 relating to the gall midges better known as the Cecidomyiidfe. 



Two new gall midg'es, E. P. Felt {Ent. News, 22 {1911), No. 3, pp. 109- 

 111). — Two West Indian Cecidomyiidjp, Asphondylia vincenti reared from the 

 fruits of Jussiwa Unifolia and J. sujfrutiosa, and Hyperdlplosis eupatorri bred 

 from a gall on the upper surface of the leaves of Eupatorium, are described as 

 new. 



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