INJURIOUS LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS. 



Melittia ciicurbitae Harris. 

 The Squash-vine Borer. 



(Ord. Lepidoptera: Fam. ^Fx;eriad.e.) 



uEgeria cucurhiUE Hakkis : iu New England Farmer for Aug. 22, 1828, vii, Xo. o, 

 p. 33; Amer. Jouru. Sci.-Arts., xxxvi, 1884, p. 310-11 ; Treat. Ins. X. 

 Eag., 1852, p. 252-3; Ins. Inj. Veg., 1862, p. 331, figs. 159, 160, j)!. 5, 

 f. 8; Entomolog. Corr., 1869, p. 284-5. 



^■Egeria cueurMtff. Riley : 2cl Rept. Ins. Mo., 18T0, p. 64. — Reed : in Rept. Ent. 

 Soc. Ont. for 1871, p, 89-90, figs. 96-98.— Thomas : 6tli Rept. Ins. 111. 

 [1877], p. 41.— French : in 7th Rept. Ins. 111., 1878, p. 173.— Maktex : 

 iu lOthRept. Ins. 111., 1881, p. 107 (larva).— S.vunders : Ins. Inj. Fruits, 



1883, p. 361-2, figs. 370-372. 



Melittia cucurhitce Packard : Guide Stud. Ins., 1862, p. 279, f. 210 ; iu Hayden's 

 9th Rept. IT. S. Geolog.-Geograph. Surv. Terr., 1877, p. 769, f. 36.— Cook: 

 in 13th Rept. St. Bd. Agricul. Mich., 1875, p. 116 (in Mich.).— Coi.emax: 

 in Papilio, ii, 1882, p. 50 (larval hibernation). — Hulst: in Bull. Brookl. 

 Ent. Soc, vi, 1883, p. 10 (habits, etc.). — Lintner : in Count. Gent., xlix 



1884, pp. 477, 487, 517. 



Melittia Ceto Grote : New Check-List N. A. Moths, 1882, p. 10. 



A correspondent of the Country Gentleman has sent to that journal 

 the following communication, telling of the ineffectual efforts made by 

 him and his neighbors in dealing with the squash-vine borer, and asking 

 for information of the insect, and approved means of checking its de- 

 structive attacks. Similar appeals and inquiries from several other 

 localities have shown an urgent need of the information asked for, in 

 view of a widespread extension of its injuries, while at tne same time 

 assuming a more serious character than in the earlier years of our 

 acquaintance with the insect : 



Eds. Country Gentleman — I have read in various numbers of 

 your paper statements of crops of Hubbard squashes and prices obtained 

 for them. In behalf of a large number of your subscribers in the valley 



