266 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



of the insect, including the legs and antenna, is said to be covered 

 with a white flocculent powder. Late in the season winged forms 

 appear. The native food plants of the insect appear to be Achillea 

 lanulosa and Polycjonuin aviculare. The insect passes the winter in 

 the soil on or near the roots of the food plants. No males have been 

 discovered in this species. 



A wet spring followed by an early dry summer seems to be espe- 

 cialh^ favorable to the multiplication of this insect. The prevalence 

 of the beet aphis seems not to be conditioned bv the character of the 

 soil. No direct remedies are suggested. In the line of prevention the 

 author recommends that beets should not be planted on new soil, since 

 the native plants growing on such soils might be alread}^ infested. It 

 is urged further that beets should not be grown for manj^ seasons in 

 succession upon the same ground. 



Brief notes are given on the habits and life history of and remedies 

 against Psylliodes punctulata and Carneades mesmrla. 



Notes on a nevr sugar-beet pest -with a description of the spe- 

 cies, R. AV. DoANE {Eat. Xtim, 11 (1000), ^^o. S, pp. 390, 391).— A. 

 species of plant louse is described as new under the name Pemphigus 

 hetce. The ordinary host plants of this species are Polygonum avicu- 

 lare and Achillea millefolium. The insect lives upon the roots of 

 these plants and is recognized b}^ the flocculent secretion upon its 

 body. Recently this species has attacked sugar beets and is becoming 

 an insect of considerable economic importance. During the winter 

 months the colonies of this insect consist of individuals in all stages of 

 development. These colonies grow rapidh' during April and May. 

 During the summer, winged forms appear and increase in number 

 until about the middle of November. They leave the plant and fly 

 for considerable distances in search of new host plants. A technical 

 description of the insect is added. 



The grass thrips, W. E. Hinds {Massachusetts Agr. Col. Rpt. 1899, 

 pp. 83-97, y>/.y. 4)- — The author made a study of an outbreak of the 

 grass thrips which occurred in ]\Iassachusetts. The species was con- 

 sidered to be Anaphothrips striata. For the purpose of studying this 

 species, specimens were brought into the laboratory and kept, in large- 

 mouthed bottles, upon the stems of silver-topped June grass, which 

 seemed to be the food plant preferred by them. It was observed that 

 the females deposit their eggs in the fresh and tender portions of the 

 leaf tissue. Oviposition takes place at night as well as in the daytime. 

 The females which have passed the winter begin laying eggs very soon 

 after the beginning of growth in the grass. The process of ^^^ laying 

 continues for 4 or 5 weeks and the number of eggs laid by a single 

 insect in confinement averages about 50 to 60. The eggs of these 

 hibernated females hatch in from 10 to 15 days, but during the summer 

 generations the eggs hatch in from 4 to 7 days. The mature larvae 



