1918 ENTOMO LOGICAL SOCIETY. 99 



In 1915, Zebra caterpillars of the second brood were found to be quite com- 

 mon, though not particularly injurious, in the neighborhood of Kentville, but the 

 next year was the first that any complaint regarding injury, was received. ^ In 

 1916, there was a very serious outbreak in some localities, mostly in Kings 

 County and numerous turnip fields were stripped of their leaves, the greater 

 damage was being done, as usual, by caterpillars of the second brood. Full 

 grown larvae collected about Kentville in the fall, were found to be heavily 

 parasited and it was thought that there was little danger of a serious outbreak 

 the next year. 



This proved to be true as far as the vicinity of Kentville was concerned, 

 but further west in western Kings and Annapolis counties, and in parts of Digby 

 and Yarmouth counties, there was an equally — if not a more severe outbreak, 

 even the first brood caterpillars being fairly numerous and destructive in some 

 cases. All the farmers, with scarcely an exception, stated that the insect was a 

 new pest — one that they had never seen before. This does not necessarily indicate 

 that the pest was a new one to our province and the nature and distribution of 

 the outbreak would make this possibility extremely unlikely. It does indicate, 

 however, that the period between outbreaks must be comparatively long. 



Of the various crops attacked, turnip fields suffered most. Sometimes after 

 the leaves were stripped, the caterpillars would attack the roots themselves and 

 devour a sufficient amount to do considerable damage. On several occasions the 

 larvae were observed to migrate from one field to another after the manner of 

 the army worm. This occurred when the particular crop upon which they were 

 feeding was entirely devoured. Migrations were observed from turnips to grass 

 and from buckwheat to potatoes. 



The insects seem to be quite careless regarding their diet, feeding upon, in 

 addition to those plants already mentioned, beets, mangolds, beans, hydrangeas, 

 sweet peas, pigweed and even apple and plum trees. Eggs of the moth were 

 found deposited on apple leaves twelve feet from the ground. 



On a small scale and where cheap labor was available hand-picking the 

 leaves bearing egg masses or nearly hatched caterpillars was the most economical 

 remedy. Where this could not be done, dusting with powdered arsenicals applied 

 by means of a blower, gave very satisfactory results. 



THE ENTOMOLOGICAL EECOED, 1917. 



Arthur Gibson, Chief Assistant Entomologist, Department op 

 Agriculture, Ottawa. 



Students of insects in Canada have again to acknowledge the many favours 

 received from specialists in the United States and elsewhere for assistance in the 

 determination of species. Dr. L. 0. Howard and his colleague?, at Washington, 

 have, as in the past, helped us very materially ; Messrs. Barnes and McDunnough, 

 have named many doubtful species of Lepidoptera; Messrs. Casey, Wiekham, 

 Liebeck, Leng, Fall, Frost, and Van Dyke have assisted in the Coleoptera; Messrs. 

 Aldrich, Malloch, Johnson, Hine and M. C. Van Duzee, have determined Diptera, 

 and Mr. J. H. Emerton has continued to examine spiders. All of these specialists, 

 as well as others who have assisted us, have our sincere thanks. 



