414 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 10 



The Red-legged Flea-beetle {Crepidodera rufipes) of Peach Trees. — 

 The first instance of injury from this introduced pest in Kentucky- 

 came to my attention in the shape of specimens sent me from 

 Lewis County, May 4, 1917, where they were reported as gnawing 

 the leaves badly, and as being very difficult to destroy with the cus- 

 tomary doses of arsenate of lead. 



We were made to realize keenly the defects in our nursery inspec- 

 tion law recently by a sudden demand for a quarantine against the 

 white pine blister rust. The Kentucky law makes no provision for 

 quarantines, and in fact does not provide for any rules or regulations 

 by any state official under which a quarantine may be established. 

 With a federal quarantine of territory of which Kentucky is a part, 

 state legislation is not now so badly needed, but we should huve been 

 able to act at once. The law needs amending to provide for such 

 emergencies. . 



American foulbrood is giving us much trouble, especially about the 

 edges of cities where a good many people keep bees, but. handle them 

 badly. The spread of the disease among such beekeepers is rapid and 

 in manj^ cases results in a complete extermination of the colonies. 

 The inspection of apiaries will some day be demanded by our people. 

 The rapid growth of interest in beekeeping in the state, and the pro- 

 nounced success of some of our commercial apiarists and queen rearers, 

 is calling attention to this need, and we expect it to result soon in a 

 good law with ample provision for enforcing it. 



It may be of interest to collectors of Coleoptera to know that the 

 introduced Tenebrionid {Blaps mucronata) has recently appeared in 

 some numbers in grain warehouses at Lexington. Dozens were se- 

 cured January 20, 1916, in the basement of a seed warehouse under 

 sacks and among grain refuse about the floors. It was subsequentlj'' 

 found about a dump at the edge of Lexington where it had probably 

 been thrown with refuse from buildings. The first specimens observed 

 here were collected in 1914. We cannot see that it is doing serious 

 mischief, though it feeds on grain. The eggs and larvae have been 

 secured, but have not yet been followed to maturity. 



The wheat fly {Oscinis variahilisY emerged in one of our cages this 

 spring, May 2, developing from wheat planted October 2, 1916, taken 

 up last fall and kept out of doors at Lexington until the insects ap- 



1 When it was first discovered on wheat in Kentucky the writer did not feel satis- 

 fied that it was Loew's 0. variabilis for the reason that it did not agree well with his 

 description. Professor Aldrich, in his List, placed it under 0. carbonaria Loew, 

 though apparently with some doubt. He has recently examined some of my material 

 and now pronounces it 0. pusilla Meigen. 



