1901 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 73 



August 24fch, 1896, and ovipositing at Ashtabula, O., on October 5th, 1901, though in this latter 

 case it might have been by a belated female. Mr. Burgess examined many poplars in the city 

 of Ashtabula without finding the insect, and but a single female was to be found on the willows 

 in a deep ravine near the city. This female was observed in the act of oviposition, the place 

 selected by her being one of the corky growths, common on the willow bark. The day was 

 cool, and the beetle worked on the south side of the tree, pushing her snout into the corky bark 

 as far as it would extend, and worked it about so that quite a cavity was excavated. She was 

 thus engaged when found, and continued to work for forty minutes. At the end of this time she 

 reversed her position, and, placing her ovipositor in the cavity, forced it in the entire length, 

 her position at the time being parallel to the ground. After remaining motionless for three 

 minutes she began to move the abdomen and ovipositor upward and downward, and, though 

 something could be observed passing into the cavity, whether the egg or some mucilaginous 

 matter could not be determined, but in any case, when she had finished her work the cavity was 

 completely closed. Turning about again she seemed to examine her work with snout and 

 antenna, and, apparently satisfied therewith, she sought out another similar corky growth and 

 began her work when she was captured, remaining alive, however, until October 10th. The 

 section of willow showing the egg as it was placed by the insect is shown by fig. 5, plate. 

 It will be noticed that it was jammed into place, and probably packed securely with the sur- 

 rounding tissue, reduced to pulp by the jaws of the beetle. 



The egg is oval, pale yellowish white ; length, 1.5 mm.; width, 0.8 mm. 



It would appear from the foregoing that this insect has come among us to attack our 

 willows, poplars and probably some other shade and ornamental trees that are found in our 

 parks, cemeteries and other public grounds, as well as along our streets ; also, that it is a 

 nursery pest as well. The Carolina poplar, on account of its symmetrical form and rapid 

 growth, has been very largely planted during the last ten years, and it remains to be seen what 

 «ffect this foreign insect will have upon these, especially as Mr. Kirkland informs me that, at 

 present, the species is a serious pest in nurseries where poplars and willows are propagated, and 

 on low lands where thtse are the principal shade trees. 



Prevention. 

 If, as now seems to be the case, the insects live over in the bark as very young larvae, it 

 will be difficult to detect their presence until the next summer, so that burning infested trees in 

 winter will be impracticable, as the presence of the borer will only show after the injury has 

 been done and the culprit escaped. Something may be accomplished by burning in late spring 

 such trees as are seen to be infested, thus destroying the pest before it develops and escapes. 

 The outlook, however, is not encouraging in the matter of protecting trees from attack. 



THE COMMON CHEESE MITE, TYROGLYPHUS SIRO, LIVING IN 

 SPOROTRICHUM GLOBULIFERUM. 



By F. M. Werster. 



Since the year 1896 I have been distributing from one hundred to several thousand small 

 boxes of this fungus each year to farmers in Ohio, to be used against the chinch bug, Blissus 

 ■ieticopterus. 



In the preparation of this fungus for distribution, we have followed the more recent method 

 of cultivating it in quantity on a base of sterilized beef broth and corn meal, but recently an 

 unexpected difficulty has arisen in the shape of the ravages of the common cheese mite, which 

 makes its way into the boxes of the prepared material, after it has been dried and put away for 

 use, and reduces the contents of the boxes to powder, so that it is simply a crawling mass. 



