REPORT ON INSECTS OF THE SEASON IN IOWA. 
By Prof. HERBERT OsBORN, Special Agent. 
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 
Iowa AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, 
Ames, December 11, 1389. 
Sir: I beg to submit herewith my report upon the season’s observations and study 
for 1889. 
I have during the season made a series of tests of X. O. Dust under directions from 
your office; reports of which were transmitted immediately on completion of the 
tests, and have continued to work, conjointly with yourself, on the insects affecting 
domestic animals. As bearing upon the same general subject, and connected with one 
of the most important industries of the State, and, indeed, of a large part of the 
United States, I have given such time as I could to the study of insects affecting 
meadows and pastures. Believing, however, that more could be accomplished by 
giving attention to some particular group, and considering the great importance 
of the Leaf-hoppers and other Homoptera, and the fact that they have been but 
slightly studied in this connection, I have spent most of the time upon this group. 
The study of these is rendered more difficult in consequence of the great number 
of species as yet undescribed, and the lack of any complete literature upon known 
American species. But for these very reasons there is the more need of their being 
investigated. My results seem meager for the time devoted, but I believe that with 
the material now brought together much more rapid progress can be made in future 
studies. 
Thanking you for the many favors received from your office, I am 
Very respectfully, 
HERBERT OSBORN. 
Pror. C. V. RILEy, 
U. S. Entomologist. 
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 
While no wide-spread devastation has occurred in the State during 
the past season there has been a considerable amount of damage from 
a number of different species affecting various crops and operating in 
different parts of the State. 
Cut-worms of different species were unusually abundant, and I re- 
ceived specimens and inquiries regarding them from different parts of 
the State. They were quite troublesome in gardens, nurseries, and 
fields in this locality. | 
The Turf Web-worms (Crambus exsiccatus), reported on in detail two 
years ago, were again quite abundant, but not so numerous or destruc- 
tive as in 1887. An allied species (Crambus laqueatellus) was quite 
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