184 



McCoLLocH (J. W.) & Hayes (W. P.). A Preliminary Report on tlie 

 Life-Economy of Solenopsis molesla. Say. — Jl. Econ. Entom.y 

 Concord, ix, no. 1, February 1916, pp. 23-28, 1 fig., 1 plate, 

 4 tables. 



The ant, Solenopsis molesta, "which is distributed over the 

 eastern half of the United States, is primarily injurious, although it 

 has been known to prey on other insects and to act as a scavenger. 

 Damage to maize, strawberries, blackberries and sweet foods found 

 in houses has been reported from various districts. In Kansas the 

 chief injury consists in the destruction of the seeds of sorghum, sugar, 

 maize, etc., shortly after planting. By means of a suitable breeding 

 cage, which is described, the life-history was studied. 



Damage to kafir com and other sorghums in Kansas may occur 

 before or after germination. Forbes is of the opinion that the ants 

 attack the interior of the seed for the purpose of obtaining the oil. 

 Seeds injured after germination produce weak plants which soon die. 

 Workers have also been found feeding on windfall apples and plums, 

 dead grasshoppers, larvae, pupae and adults of Sphenophonis maidis, 

 Chittn. (maize bill-bug), larvae of Papaipema nebris, Gn. {nitela, Gn.) 

 (corn-stalk borer), larvae of Mayetioh, destructor, Say (Hessian fly), 

 grasshopper eggs, pupae of Chhridea obsoleta, F. (corn ear- worm), 

 and larvae of Hemerocampa (Notolophus) leucostigma, S. and 

 A. (tussock moth) 



S. molesta generally builds compound nests with other ants, which 

 are robbed of eggs, larvae, and pupae. In natural formicaries, winged 

 males and females appear in July, but in artificial nests the queens 

 were never fertilised. The workers are preyed upon by the ants, 

 Cremastogaster lineolata, Say, and Pheidolepilifera, Roger, by Phrynosoma 

 cornutum (horned toad) and by Eumeces sp. (skink). A mite, Hyposapis 

 sp., is probably ectoparasitic on the workers, queens and eggs. 



Four methods are suggested for the protection of seed against 

 attack : — (1) Autumn ploughing, whereby germination is hastened 

 and nests of S. molesta are broken up ; (2) early planting, about 

 10th May ; (3) surface planting ; (4) the use of repellents. Kerosene 

 and turpentine have a repellent action for a short time ; Black Leaf 40 

 and crude carbolic acid apparently do not hinder germination. Further 

 experiments in this direction are being carried out. 



Somes (M. P.). Some Insects of Solanum carolinense, L., and their 

 economic relations. — Jl. Econ. Entom., Concord, ix, no. 1, 

 L February 1916, pp. 39-44. 



Solanum carolinense, L. (horse-nettle) is a common weed in the 

 United States and especially in Missouri. It is aUied to such 

 cultivated plants as tomato, potato and tobacco, and it has 

 been found that insects which commonly feed on S. carolinense 

 may transfer themselves to one of these cultivated forms, thus 

 becoming more or less serious pests. In July 1914, Jalysus 

 spinosus. Say, a widely distributed Berytid bug feeding on 

 S. carolinense, caused serious injury to tomatoes near St. Louis 

 by puncturing the fruit stems and ovaries. During the past 

 two years this insect has become very important in Missouri, where 



