38 



MISCELLANEOUS COTTON INSECTS. 



These eggs hatched July 23, but the nymphs f>ul)sequently died. This 

 observation clearl\" indicates that oviposition sometimes, if not always, 

 takes place in July." During- July and August nymphs are commonl}^ 

 captured by sweeping, thcjugh the tirst generation matured in .lune. 

 The fall eggs are not laid nntil October or November, and during 

 September fresh adults are found. 



The oviposition on cotton is of no practical 

 importance, and the crickets doubtless do much 

 unnoticed good in consuming the plant lice alwaj's 

 abundant. 



STALK-BORERS. 



AMPllICERUS sp. 



P:arly in March, 1904, Mr. J. W. Howell, of Cor- 

 sicana, Tex., sent cotton stalks containing speci- 

 mens of a species of Amphicerus. Upon visiting 

 this lield as many as a dozen of these beetles were 

 often found in a stalk. No injury could be attrib- 

 uted to them, and it seems probable that they 

 work merely in the mature stalk and hibernate in 

 it. The species may be the same as that observed 

 at San Diego, Tex., by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, who 

 took specimens of A)iij>J(!<ri'((-'< foi'fis Lee. in old 

 cotton stalks April 25, 1895. 



ATAXIA CRYPTA Say. 



This species has been styled the cotton stalk- 

 borer. It can hardly l)e considered a cotton insect, 

 however, as it attacks only diseased or injured 

 stalks, and normally breeds in cockle. It has not 

 been recorded as injuring cotton except individual 

 stalks here and there. The records of the Bureau 

 of Entomology state that a larva of this species 

 which had been boring into the root of XiOitJiidin .stri/niariuni was for- 

 w^arded by Mr. Schwarz from Beeville, Tex., October 2t), 1895. One 

 beetle issued June 24, another July 3, two July 27, and one July 29, 

 1896. May 1, 1897, a beetle was reared from a stem of cockle from 

 Tucson, Ariz., three more emerging June 8. 



Fig. 21. — (Ecanfhiis nivcua: 

 egg punctures on stalk 

 (original). 



« June 23, 1905. Mr. Sanliorn states that tlie species ha8 been full grown for at 

 least five weeks and has been ovipositmg. He thinks that there are undoulitedly 

 two broods. 



