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Smith (L. B.). Report on the Investigation of Insects Affecting Truck 

 Crops in Virginia. -it'/A Rept. State Entomologist m\d Plant 

 Pathologist, Virginia, 1914-1915, Richmond, 1916, pp. 30-32. 

 [Received Gth June 1916.] 



Macrosiphum solanifolii, Ashm. (potato aphis) attacks potato, 

 asparagus, egg-plants, peas and clover. When occurring on potatoes or 

 egg-plants, the best method of control is to spray with a mixture con- 

 sisting of Giozs. nicotine sulphate to 50 U.S. gals. Bordeaux-arsenate 

 of lead. The following iiea-beetles have been observed on a variety of 

 food plants :■ — Epilrix 'jxirvnla, ¥., E. cucumeris, Harr., E.fuscula, Cr., 

 Choetocnema confinis, Lee, C. pulicaria, Mels., C. denticulata, III., 

 Systena taeniata. Say, and Phyllotreta viilata, F. Maize is attacked 

 when from 2 to 12 inches high, and injury is most severe in hot, dry 

 weather. A mixture consisting of 1,9201b. slaked Hme and 80 lb. 

 Paris green was found to act both as a direct poison and a repellant. 

 Blepharida rhois, Forst. (sumac llea-beetle), a pest of the shade tree 

 sumac, pupates during July in the soil at the base of the host tree and 

 can thus be destroyed by breaking up the soil during this month. 

 The larvae and adults on the trees can be controlled by lead arsenate 

 spray, at a strength of 3 lb. to 50 U.S. gals, water. 



Smith (L. B.). The Green Pea Aphid ; its Life-History in Eastern 

 Virginia. — 10th Rept. State Entomologist and Pathologist, Virginia, 

 1911-1915, Richmond, 191G, pp. 32-63, 4 figs., 3 plates, 5 tables. 

 [Received Gth June 1916.] 



Acijrtliosiphon {Macrosiphum) pisi, Kalt. (green pea aphis) causes 

 serious injury every year to pea crops in Eastern Virginia. Attack 

 is followed by the stunting of the plant, by the assumption of a yellow 

 colour, by the malformation of leaves and pods and, in severe cases, 

 by the death of the plant. Other host plants include Vicia spp. 

 (vetches), Trifolium incamatum (crimson clover), T. pratense (red 

 clover), Lathijms odoratus (sweet pea), Lespedeza sp., Medicago sativa 

 (lucerne), Melilotus alba (sweet clover), etc. The different hosts are 

 attacked at varying periods of the year, so that there is practically no 

 season in which the insect is not present. In the case of green peas, 

 the autumn crop is usually the most severely injured. The winter 

 is passed on clovers, lucerne and sweet peas. In spring, migration 

 to the early crop of peas takes place between 20th March and 15th 

 April. Between 20th June and 10th July a summer migration takes 

 place to sweet clover, vetches and Lespedeza sp. ; between 1st 

 September and 15th September a return is made to the autumn pea 

 crop, while the winter hosts are reached between 15th November and 

 15th December. Winged forms have also been found on cowpeas and 

 soy beans in August and on kidney beans in August and September. 

 In Eastern Virginia it is probable that many individuals pass the entire 

 year on clovers if these are available. The winter seems to be passed 

 through by viviparous females, since no oviparous forms or eggs have 

 been found. Reproducing females and nymphs are unable to i;\'ith- 

 stand prolonged exposure to temperatures between 25° F. and 40*^ F. 



Dispersal from clover, etc., to pea fields is effected by both winged 

 and wingless forms, the latter being important in securing an equal 

 distribution throughout the field. Breeding experiments with A. pisi 



(C285) • b2 



