466 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 12 



Stable Flies and Chiggers. While making? studies on the chigger mites during the 

 past summer in the vicinity of Washington, D. C, large numbers of stable flies 

 {Stomoxys calcitrans) were found to be parasitized by a small red chigger. A deter- 

 mination of the species concerned shows it to be Tromhidiuni striaticeps Oudemans, 

 the striated chigger of Europe, which is said to be one of the three species concerned 

 in the attacks on man and domesticated animals in that continent. In view of the 

 fact that the specific identity for all species attacking man and domesticated animals 

 in this country is in doubt, it is believed that the record of the occurrence of this 

 European species in our country is of much significance. That it should be found so 

 abundantly on stable flies in Washington is surprising, yet Dr. L. O. Howard informs 

 me that in the past he has observed stable fhes in the vicinity of Washington with 

 chiggers attached. 



H. E. EwiNG 



On the Bite of Arilus cristatus. On September 22, 1919, the writer was collecting 

 along the banks of the Potomac River at Williamsport, Md. Adults of Arilus 

 cristatus, the wheel bug, were very numerous, engaged in feeding on a large variety of 

 insects and in mating. 



A considerable number of these adults were picked up for life-history studies, a 

 male of which sunk its proboscis into the forefinger of the writer's right hand. The 

 wound was at once very painful and remained so for ten days, at first appearing red, 

 and the portion adjoining the wound more nearly, becoming hardened and quite 

 white. On the 26th it was necessary to lance the wound to let out considerable bad 

 blood and puss, and the finger was not normal initil about the third of October. 



George W. Barber, 

 Scientijic Assistant, Bitreaii of Entomology, L'. S. Department of Agriculture 



A Note on Migration of Larvae of the House Fly. Along a stretch of some 1.50 feet 

 of road in Wellington, Kans., there is foimd a strip of grass about two feet wide along 

 one side of which a cement sidewalk runs and along the other a cement curb raised 

 perhaps eight inches above the macadamized road with which it is connected. The 

 whole is gently sloping to the West. 



About the 15th of May, 1917, this grass area, as well as a plot of some two acres 

 adjoining the sidewalk, was covered with a thick layer of barnyard manure which had 

 probably been stacked for some time. 



A few days later, about six o'clock in the morning, in passing by this stretch of road, 

 large numbers of the larvae of the house-fly, Mu^ca domestica, were observed on the 

 sidewalk and in the gutter adjoining the manured strip. They were only fairly 

 numerous on the sidewalk, but in the gutter they lay in a white band extending the 

 whole length of the manured space, perhaps eight inches wide and towards the curb 

 several larvae deep. 



This whole seething mass was working down the street towards the West and were 

 found to be entering a sewage manhole which adjoined the West end of the manured 

 area. 



By noon, this date, practically all the larvae had disapjjeared. 



Considering that the majoritj^ of the larvae had entered the manhole, they had 

 migrated from one to one hundred and fifty feet depending on which end of the 

 manured area they left the manure. And they had preferred migrating this distance 

 in search of soil in which to pupate rather than enter the soil beneath the manure. 



George W. Barber, 

 Scientijic Assistant, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture 



