286 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 4 



vesting in some fields the canvas of the binder would become covered 

 with the worms while the whole field was alive with them. The above 

 instances of damage are recorded on the strength of examinations of 

 the larvae, which seem to be readily distinguishable from those of albi- 

 linea, except in the case of the Trenton insects where some of the arvae 

 were reared. The species seems probably double brooded like albilinea, 

 for from larvae received July 12 all pupated July 17 and moths emerged 

 August 14 and September 1. Many, though not all, of the infested 

 fields were in sod the preceding year. 



The past season was the worst grasshopper year we have had for a 

 decade in central and western Nebraska, and during July these insects 

 were exceedingly destructive to the alfalfa, corn and o^ts of that sec- 

 tion of the state. At Red Cloud, Webster County, in early August the 

 prevailing species, Melanoplus bivittatus, was very heavily parasi- 

 tized by an undetermined sarcophagid fly, which in turn was parasitized 

 by the chalcid Perilampus hyalinus. The chinch-bug {Blissus leu- 

 copterus) was the most abundant in the southern counties this year 

 that it has been since 1901 and during July injured wheat, oats and 

 corn seriously. The corn-leaf aphis {Aphis maidis) this season was 

 exceedingly abundant in Sherman County near Loup City during 

 early August, and in some fields produced rather serious injury by 

 killing the upper leaves, on which it had congregated by the thousands. 

 A local outbreak of the green bug (Toxoptera graminum) occurred 

 in late October near Shelby in Polk County and the wheat fields were 

 found swarming with these aphids, but they were so heavily parasitized 

 by the Lysiphlebus that no spring attack is anticipated. 



SOME OLD METHODS APPLIED IN A NEW MANNER 

 TO A COLLECTING MACHINE 



By H. F. Wilson, Oregon Agricultural College 



The included sketch illustrates a machine used by the author 

 during the past spring for collecting hibernating insects. Jarring 

 and heat are relied upon and a very large sifting surface is secured. 

 Another advantage is found in the fact that the machine can be used 

 as readily in the field as in the laboratory and without alcohol or 

 kerosene. The bottom is flat and the machine can be set on a stove 

 in the laboratory or placed over a trench in the field. When used 

 in the field a piece of stovepipe should be used as a chimney in order 

 to carry away the smoke and to keep a continuous draft under the 

 tank. 



