32 



Ash, although evidently the favorite, is not the only food plant of 

 this species. The larvte are probably not particular, as they live upon 

 decaying- wood and have been found feeding- in decayed wood of cherr}', 

 willow, oak, and other trees. 



Dudng- June, 1898, we received a specimen of this species from 

 Mr. W. W. Thompson, Smithville, Ga., with the statement that it had 

 been found eating a pear, an unusual food habit, judging from records. 



In writing of the noise produced by this species when alarmed, the 

 late Dr. John Hamilton says (Can. Ent., Vol. XVIII, p. 112): 



While no real stridulating organs are present, they have the power to produce a 

 sound that may answer the same purpose, somewhat resembling that of an angry 

 goose. The pygidium and part of the last ventral segment are very hairy, and by 

 withdrawing the aljdomen from tlie elytra so as to admit air, and then suddenly 

 forcing it out through the hair by a sudden extension, a noise is produced that is 

 rather alarming to one unacquainted with their harmlessness. 



NOTES ON ENEMIES OF MUSHROOMS AND ON EXPERIMENTS 



WITH REMEDIES. 



By August Busck. 



During the winter 1901-2 four enemies of mushroom culture came 

 under observation: (1) snails, (2) roaches, (3) maggots of some unde- 

 termined Diptera (not bred), and (4) mites. 



(1) Against the snails was used with perfect success the old remedy 

 of trapping them under loose boards. 



(2) The roaches {Peri plan eta miierieana) were quite troublesome, but 

 were at least temporarily driven away by the pyrethrum and bisulphid 

 of carbon experiments, employed against the mites and mentioned 

 below. 



(3) The maggots, which in the cases under observation were scarce 

 and of small importance, were not bred. They worked in the fruit 

 l)odies of the mushroom and of course spoiled such individual mush- 

 rooms as were infested. Possibly the experiments with all kinds of 

 insecticides, conducted against the mites, killed the majority of adult 

 flies, and thus prevented Qgg la3'ing and consequent injury. 



Reports from other places show that certain flies {Plwra spp. and 

 Drosophila spp.) may be very dangerous enemies of successful mush- 

 room culture. 



The present experiments tend to show that the screening of all win- 

 dows or beds where feasible, and the liberal use of pyrethrum, are 

 effective preventives against these pests. 



(4) The only truly important and at the same time the most perni- 

 cious and difficult enemy to handle which has come under my obser- 

 vation hitherto is the very prolific and astonishingly destructive mite, 

 Tyroglyplms Untneri. 



