758 EXPERIMENT STATION BECOBD. 



A new strawberry pest: The metallic flea beetle (Haltica pagana), C. 

 French, Jr. {Jour. Dept. Agr. Victoria, 11 (1913), No. 10, p. 591).— The author 

 reports that complaints were received from strawberry growers in the districts 

 of Wandin and Eveljni, Victoria, of depredations by the metallic flea beetle, a 

 native insect. 



A preliminary report on the sugar beet wireworm, J. E. Geaf {U. S. Dept. 

 Agr., Bur. Ent. Bui. 123 (1914), pp. 68, pis. 23, figs. 5).— This, a report of studies 

 of Limonius californicus carried on since 1909, describes the manner of injury, 

 the history of the species, the insects associated with it in the destruction of 

 the beet roots in different stages of growth, the number of its food plants, its 

 life history and habits, suggestions as to the methods for its control, etc. 



This wireworm has been known in the coast lowlands of southern California 

 for many years, having been more or less destructive to sugar beets during the 

 time they have been grown there, and prior to that time was known as an 

 alfalfa and com pest, and had caused serious losses in many localities. The 

 Lima bean loss which it occasioned in 1912 is estimated at $10,000. The sugar 

 beet is killed through the injury to the roots, the wireworm being most injurious 

 while the beets are young. Other wlreworms mentioned as associated with it 

 include Drasterius livens, Cardiophorus aeneus, C. crimtus, etc. 



This sugar beet wireworm was found quite generally throughout the western 

 half of California, being abundant in the lower sugar beet lands of southern 

 California. The main districts afl'ected by it are those of Ventura, Orange, 

 and Los Angeles counties, which comprise probably the choicest sugar beet 

 land in southern California. A single specimen is said to have been coUected 

 in eastern Washington. The other food plants listed are wild beet (Beta sp.), 

 potato (Solanum tuberosum), corn (all varieties), Johnson grass (Sorghum 

 halepense), dock (Rumex liymenosepalus) , pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus), 

 chrysanthemum, nettle, wild aster, and mustard (Brassica niger). 



" The life cycle probably covers 4 years. About 1 month each is required for 

 the egg and pupal stages; 7 to 9 mouths for the adult stage, during the greater 

 part of which the beetle is in hibernation ; and about 3 years, or the rest of the 

 time, for the larval stage. Thus far it seems to be impractical to employ 

 remedies against the larvae. As these live underground and are protected by 

 a thick integument it is difficult to injure them. They also seem able to eat 

 a certain quantity of many poisons and deterrent substances with safety. 

 Plowing in the fall is a fair remedy against the pupae, but at that time of the 

 year the soil is dry in southern California and is turned up in large clods; 

 consequently many pupae escape destruction. Much of the injury to the beets 

 may be avoided by early planting, thus giving the roots a good start before the 

 wireworms are doing their most extensive feeding. Clean culture against the 

 adults, by compelling them to seek shelter elsewhere and exposing them to the 

 attacks of their bird enemies, seems to be the most practical remedy found thus 

 far for this insect. The efficiency of this remedy would be increased if faU 

 plowing and early planting were used with it." 



Descriptions of thirteen new species of parasitic Hymenoptera and a 

 table to certain species of the genus Ecphylus, S. A. Rohwee (Proc. U. 8. 

 Nat. Mus., 45 (1913), pp. 555-5^0).— Several of the species here described are of 

 economic importance. 



A new aphis feeding braconid, N. Kurdjumov (Russ. Ent. Ohozr., 13 (1913), 

 No. 1, pp. 25, 26, fig. 1). — Diaretus (Aphidius) ohsoletus, the species here 

 described as new, is an important parasite of two injurious grain aphids, 

 Brachycolus noxius and Toxoptera graminum. 



The larval forms and biology of an entomophagous cynipid (Eucoila 

 keilini), D. Keilin and G. de la Baume Pluvinel (Bui. Sci. France et Belg.. 



