176 JOURNAL OP ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 1 



Schwarz of the Bureau of Entomology for determination, but his 

 report has not been received at the present writing. 



This insect has been known to occur in California for a good many 

 years and its economic status has been based entirely on its leaf- 

 feeding habits. This above ground injurj^ to the vine, while it has 

 been very great in some cases, is really imimportant as compared 

 with the more serious and permanent injury to the roots. In some 

 vineyards the crop has been reduced a third or a half and in one 

 instance that came under our observation this year, two or three 

 acres of vines were dug up on account of the injury to the roots by 

 the larvse of this insect. 



APHIS GOSSYPII GLOV., AND ITS ALLIES— MEDICA- 



GINIS KOCH, RUMICIS LINN., FORBESI WEED, 



OENOTHERIAE OEST., AND CARBO- 



COLOR GILL. 



By C. P. Gillette,! Fort Collins. Col. 



In my study of the Aphididce of Colorado I have become convinced 

 that there is still considerable confusion in the literature treating of 

 the species having a close resemblance to Ajyliis gossypii Glover. I do 

 not pretend to be able to straighten out all' the crooked places, but hope 

 to be able to offer observations and conclusions that will help to 

 that end. 



For several years past Aphis gossypii has done more harm than all 

 other insect pests together to the canteloupe and melon vines grown 

 in the Arkansas Valley in this state. In accord with the observations 

 made by several other writers, the first appearance of the lice upon the 

 vines takes place when the latter are just nicely beginning to run. but 

 they seldom attract much attention until the vines are two feet or 

 more in length. Once upon the vines, the lice increase with great 

 rapidity. In our breeding cages Mr. Bragg has repeatedly reared 

 new-born lice to the reproductive stage in eight days, and a common 

 number of births per day has been from six to twelve. As a result 

 the enemies, — parasites, ladybeetles and syrphus flies, fi^nding an un- 

 stinted supply of food, also multiply rapidly and by about the second 

 week of July often cause the lice to rapidly decrease in numbers and 

 so save a large proportion of the melon crop. The lice continue upon 

 the vines however to the time when killing frosts render the plants 



II wish especially to acknowledge the assistance of Mr. L. C. Bragg in 

 accumulating the data for this paper. 



