45 



Ressler (I. L.). Life History of Pyrausta ainsliei, Heinr., at Ames, 

 Iowa, during the Season of 1920. — //. Econ. Ent., Geneva, N. Y., 

 xiv, no. 3, June 1921, pp. 277-280, 1 fig. [Received 22nd 

 November 1921.] 



There are two broods a year of Pyrausta ainsliei in Iowa. The 

 hibernating larvae become active for a short while in the spring and 

 enter the pupal stage in late May and early June, the adults emerging 

 10 to 14 days later. The eggs are deposited on the lower surface of 

 the leaves of smartweed, in masses containing from 1 1 to 50. Dissec- 

 tions indicate that each individual lays several hundred. In the 

 field, egg-masses were observed from the 10th June to 10th July. The 

 larvae hatch in 6 to 10 da^'s, and feed almost immediately at the midrib, 

 but soon migrate to the stem, which they enter by a circular opening 

 made almost invariably just above the node. Pupation occurred 

 towards the end of July and August, and lasted from 9 to 14 days. 

 The adults were seen from 10th August to 4th September. The 

 larvae of this generation hatched about the 8th September and fed 

 until the cool weather. Hibernation takes place in the burrows in 

 the food-plant, the opening being sealed with excrement. P. ainsliei 

 will not attack maize unless there is a scarcity of its natural food-plant, 

 the smartweed {Polygonum kydropiper). 



During 1920 about 50 per cent, of the larvae were parasitised by a 

 Braconid, Aleiodes sp. 



Should P. nuhilalis, Hb., be introduced into Iowa, its life-history 

 would be similar to that of P. ainsliei. 



Ford (A. L.). U.S. Bur. Ent. The Effect of Poison Bran Mash 



on Grasshoppers and the Lapse of Time between Poisoning and / 



Death. — //. Econ. Ent., Geneva, N. Y., xiv, no. 3, June 1921, / 

 pp. 281-285. [Received 22nd November 1921.] 



Many farmers object to the use of poison l^ran mash for grasshoppers, 

 as they consider that between the time of poisoning and death the 

 grasshoppers have time to destroy the crop. The experiments here 

 described were carried out on adults of Melanoplus femnr-ruhrum in 

 Indiana during the summer and autumn of 1919, and show that 

 although the action of the poison is not instantaneous the poisoned 

 individuals consume less bulk than the unpoisoned ones. The bran 

 mash was mixed with Paris green, white arsenic and crude arsenic, 

 and detailed results of each experiment are given Individuals feeding 

 on Paris green lived for an average of 35-5 hours after poisoning; 

 those receiving white arsenic, for 43 • 9 hours, and those poisoned with 

 crude arsenic lived for an average of 50 hours. Although the grass- 

 hoppers appear healthy and active for many hours after poisoning, 

 they consume less than one-ninth as much as unpoisoned individuals. 



It apparently takes very little poisoned bran mash to kill the grass- 

 hoppers, and those receiving smaller amounts die just as soon and eat 

 just as little after poisoning as those consuming larger quantities. 



Ford (A. L.) & Larrimer (W. H.). U.S. Bur. Ent. Observations 

 on the Attractiveness of Materials used in Grasshopper Baits.— 



Jl. Econ. Ent., Geneva, N. Y., xiv, no. 3, June 1921, pp. 285-291. 

 [Received 22nd November 1921.] 



During the summer of 1919 a serious outbreak of Melanoplus femiir- 

 rubrnm in Indiana afforded an excellent opportunity for a series of 



