124 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 12 



Scientific Notes 



European Corn Borer {Pyrausta nubilalis Hubn.)- This notorious insect has 

 been found in the vicinity of Schenectady, N. Y., over an area of approximately 400 

 square miles with the probability that subsequent scouting will extend the infested 

 territory somewhat. The most significant feature is the occurrence of the insect on 

 the Mohawk River flats, ground annually flooded to a depth of ten feet or more with 

 a consequent probability of the pest being swept down the river to New York City 

 or beyond. The infestation is probably of two years' standing and is decidedly less 

 severe than that in the vicinity of Boston, Mass. 



We have obtained the best results searching for this insect by examining sweet- 

 corn stalks, specially those which have been worked over by cattle and stripped of 

 leaves, for a circular entrance less than one eighth of an inch in diameter and usually 

 showing a little discoloration on the margins. In a sparse infestation there may be 

 also a few holes through the husks and very seldom injury to the ear. The entrance 

 holes lead into a gallery and there may be a somewhat restricted boring or a larger 

 one which, if it extends to the node, expands irregularly and frequently has somewhat 

 blackened walls. Most of the insect's work is within three feet of the ground and 

 usually in stalks more than one fourth of an inch in diameter. The yellowish grey 

 caterpillar is about three fourths of an inch long, brown headed, minutely brown 

 spotted and with a somewhat peculiar transverse suranal plate which is angulate 

 laterally. 



E. P. Felt. 



Gracillaria zachrysa Meyr., Corrective Note. In the December, 1918, issue of the 

 Journal of Economic Entomology (page 482), reference is made to Gracillaria 

 zachrysa as a pest of apple foliage in northwestern India, especially for the reason that 

 G. azalece, which was considered an identical species, had recently been introduced 

 into the United States. 



Under date of November 23, Mr. T. Bainbrigge Fletcher states that he is in receipt 

 of an additional communication from Mr. Meyrick to the effect that G. azalece Busck 

 is not identical with G. zachrysa Meyr. 



Entomologists will therefore be interested to know that the species G. azalece is not 

 to be feared as an apple pest in the United States. 



L. O. Howard. 



The Toad as an Enemy of the Chinch Btig. In connection with the interesting 

 paper in the October, 1918, number of the Journal on the "Insect Enemies of the 

 Chinch Bugs," by W. P. Flint, it might be of interest to note that the common toad 

 {Bufo lentiginosus americanus) is an efficient enemy of this insect in Kansas. Gar- 

 man (Ky. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 91, pp. 60-68) reports finding six bugs in thestomachof 

 one toad out of twenty examined. Dm-ing the summer of 1913 the writer examined 

 the stomach contents of five toads taken in wheat and cornfields and found the bodies 

 or body fragments of chinch bugs in all of them. A toad, caught in a wheat field 

 May 6, contained the bodies of 162 bugs, while a toad found in a wheat field the even- 

 ing of June 5 had just eaten 12 bugs. In the latter case, feeding had apparently just 

 begun, as the stomach was practically empty. Three toads taken in cornfields 

 during July contained many legs, wings, and other fragments of chinch bugs, but it 

 was impossible to determine the number eaten. 



James W. McColloch, Associate Entomologist, 



Kansas Agricultxvral Experiment Station. 



