ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY — ENTOMOLOGY. 761 



In fields about Raleigh the tiger beetle. Calosoma calidnm. and several ground 

 beetles, such as the common black form, IIari>alus caliginosus, as well as 

 bombardier beetles of the genus Brachinus, are quite numerous and doubtless 

 prey upon the pickle worm." A predaceous larva which has been identified as 

 Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus has been found in large numbers and is an 

 active enemy of the pickle worm. 



The author finds that a large proportion of the annual loss due to this pest 

 may be prevented by growing summer squash as a trap crop, by destroying badly 

 infested vines and fruit, and by general clean culture and deep plowing. Poison 

 sprays are of little, if any, value against this pest. 



The eggs of the melon woi-m hatch in warm weather in from 3* to 4 days. 

 The length of the larval stage was found to be from 13 to 10 days, the pupal 

 stage from 7 to 11 days. The average life cycle proved to be 211 days during 

 August and September. Three generations occur in North Carolina, the first 

 appearing in June or July, the second during the first part of August, and the 

 last about the middle of September. During September and October, 1909, 2 

 parasites, Amcinpheres sp. and Limncrium sp., were frequently bred from the 

 melon-worm pupse. Chalcis ovata was also reared from the pupa during the 

 same year. The only remedial measures of value against melon w'orms consist 

 of possible poisoning for those that eat the foliage, and the use of summer 

 squash to help protect the more valuable crops. 



Bibliographies are appended to the account. 



The apple-tree tent-caterpillar (Malacosoma americana), A. F. Coneadi 

 (South Carolina Sta. Bui. 158, pp. 3-8, fig. 1). — This is an introductory report of 

 investigations of the biology of this pest that are now in progress at Clemson, 

 S. C. 



" The eggs are deposited during the last week of May and first week of June 

 in masses forming a belt around the small branches. They hatch during the 

 last week of February and the first week of March the following year. The 

 caterpillars spin a tent and use it for headquarters. They become full grown 

 about April 27, when they discontinue social life and scatter to find some shel- 

 tered spot for pupation. The adult moths emerge from May 12 to 18, and lay 

 eggs for the generation for the following year. 



Potato moth at Patna, E. J. Woodhouse and A. P. Chowdhury (Dept. Agr. 

 Bengal, Quart. Jour. Jf (1911), ^'o. 4, pp. 188-192, pis. 5).— As a protection 

 against Plitlwrimxea operculella, an account of which by H. M. Lefroy has been 

 previously noted (E. S. R., 24. p. 560). the authors recommend that potatoes 

 be stored in dry sand. 



Notes on the life history and habits of Pegomya brassicae, W. J. Schoene 

 (Jour. Eco-n. Ent., 4 (1911), ^'0. 2, pp. 210-216, pi. 1, fig. i).— These notes in- 

 clude observations on the oviposition of the first brood, the number of days 

 from egg deposition to appearance of adults, larval stages and number of days 

 required for the larva to mature, and aerial habits of larvae, together with the 

 effect of plowing on pupse. 



It was found that in some fields a large percentage of the larvae work in the 

 top part of the plant during September and October. It is thought probable 

 that the adults are attracted to the " sprouts " because of the tender growth. 

 Rough estimations based on the examination of from 50 to 100 plants in each 

 of a number of fields indicate from 300 to 1,.500 maggots per acre. Attention 

 is called to the fact that this aerial habit of the larvae can be taken advantage 

 of in combating the pest by removing the crop remnants. Observations of 

 plowed and unplowed seed beds showed that only about 27 per cent as many 

 flies emerged from the former as from the latter. 



