ENTOMOLOGY. 973 



by a delicate fringe of pink color. No experiments are known with 

 insecticides, and it is thought advisable to destroy infested plants by 

 digging them up and burning them. 



The cassava scale (Mytilaspis alba) made its appearance in Florida in 

 March, 189S, on cassava canes which had been imported from Nassau. 

 A considerable quantity of the infested canes were destroyed, and the 

 author visited the fields in which the remaining canes had been planted, 

 but after a careful investigation was unable to find any trace of insects. 

 While it is believed that this threatened pest has been exterminated, 

 the immediate burning of cassava or other plants upon which it is dis- 

 covered is recommended. 



The rust- red fiour beetle (Tribolium ferrugineum) has proved a serious 

 household and museum pest in Florida. Flour, corn meal, and similar 

 products become badly infested if left exposed. In museums the pest 

 is particularly severe, especially on dried insects. Its methods of 

 attack and injury are described and brief notes given on the life his- 

 tory, from which it appears that the life cycle is completed in about 30 

 days. The egg state continues for 12 days, the larval 14 days, the 

 pupa state about 5 days. The life of an adult in captivity is from 25 

 to 30 days. The different stages in the life history of this insect are 

 described. Where it is possible the use of carbon bisulphid is recom- 

 mended as a treatment. 



Notes are given of the chinch bug, which has occurred in various 

 places in Florida, but on account of the amount of wet weather which 

 occurs in the State, it is thought probable that it will never prove 

 seriously destructive in the State. 



The rubus white fiy {Aleurodes ruborum) was first noticed in Novem- 

 ber, 1898, infesting several of the varieties of Rubus trivialis. The 

 presence of these scales in such great numbers would necessarily be a 

 serious drain upon the plant, but the insects have been closely observed 

 since their discovery and there seems to be no occasion for regarding it 

 as of very great economic importance. This scale is probably a native 

 of Florida and has been taken in several widely separated localities on 

 both Rubus trivialis and R. cuneifolius. A number of hymenopterous 

 parasites have been bred from the pupa', and it is stated that about 65 

 per cent of the pupae are destroyed by parasites. 



The ramie-leaf roller (Pyrausta tlieseusalis) has been abundant on 

 the leaves of ramie grown at the station for the past 2 years. Fully 50 

 per cent of the leaves were rolled up from one side forming a hollow 

 tube £ inch in diameter. Within these tubes the larva* feed, eating 

 along the rolled up and covered margin, or sometimes eating the distal 

 end of the tube. These insects have not been observed earlier than 

 July and seem to be most abundant about the middle of September. 

 Specimens of young larvae placed in breeding cages grew to adult 

 larvae in about 20 days, pupated within the rolled up leaves, and 

 developed into adults in 23 days. Attempts to secure eggs from moths 

 bred in confinement were fruitless, but making due allowance for the 



