April, '19] SASSCER: IMPORTANT FOREIGN INSECTS 135 



moth {Porihetria dispar Linn.) were taken on two shipments of French 

 stock. 



The lesser bulb fly (Eumerus strigatus Fallen), together with the 

 narcissus fly (Merodon equestris Fab.), was collected in considerable 

 numbers in narcissus bulbs from Holland. The lesser bulb fly was 

 also submitted for identification by one of the seed firms of Philadel- 

 phia, with a note that the larvae were taken from Holland-grown narcis- 

 sus bulbs. This bulb insect is known to be established in the states of 

 California, Washington, Colorado, Ohio and Maine. Although the 

 economic status of the lesser bulb fly is in dispute, Verrall^ says the 

 European E. strigatus has been bred from bulbs of the common onion 

 {Allium cepa) of which they sometimes destroy a whole crop. 



Seeds of the wild cherry (Cerasus avium) from France were found to 

 contain a number of dead adults of Anthonomus redirostris L.^ This 

 weevil in Europe is known to feed in the pits of Prunus and Cerasus. 

 Inasmuch as tons of cherry and Prunus seeds have been introduced into 

 the United States in the past, a large percentage of which were never 

 inspected or fumigated, it is remarkable that this insect has not been 

 introduced into and established in the States. Of course, there is a 

 possibility that it is established in isolated localities and has not been 

 recorded. Sugar-cane entering California from the Hawaiian Islands 

 was found to be infested with the sugar-cane borer (Sphenophorus 

 obscurus Boisd.). Avocado seeds from Guatemala have continued to 

 arrive infested with larvee of an undescribed species of Conotrachelus 

 and an unrecognized Stenoma. The larvae of both of these insects 

 are responsible for considerable injury to the seed, and, according to 

 Mr. Wilson Popenoe, who has spent considerable time collecting these 

 seeds in Guatemala, this lepidopterous insect is perhaps one of the most 

 injurious avocado pests now established in Central America. 



As usual, a number of scale insects have been intercepted on incom- 

 ing stock; the more important ones being an undescribed species of 

 Solenococcus on avocado cuttings from Guatemala, the European 

 peach scale (Lecanium persicce Fab.) on Fontanesia and Berberis pur- 

 purea from France and on peach from England, Parlatoria chinensis 

 Marlatt on two species of Pyrus from China, and Lecanium coryli Linn, 

 on an undetermined host from England. 



Vice-President E. C. Cotton: Is there any discussion of this 

 paper? 



Mr. II. C, Osburn: Mr, Chairman, I shoukl hke to report the 

 occurrence of Eumerus strigatus, the bulb fly, at Columbus, Ohio, last 



1 British Flies, Vol. H, p. 615, 1901. 



* According to Dr. W. nwipiht Pierce, A . (IrufKirum L. is ft synonym of .1 . redirostris L. 



