numbers. The United States loses annually, on an average, at the 

 hands of the Chinch Bug nearly $100,000,000. Of other wheat in- 

 sects, the Wheat Stem Maggot, Mcroiiiyca amcricaiia, has been 

 taken in considerable numbers, and the occurance of the Joint 

 Worm has been reported to this office. These two latter pests, as 

 well as the Frit Fly, are undoubtedly with us. though not in suf?- 

 cient numbers as yet to be destructive. 



I have to report quite a serious loss to farmers who would raise 

 alfalfa seed through the voracious appetite of the Red-legged 

 Grasshopper or Locust, McJanopus femur riibntin, which prevented 

 the formation of seed on many acres in Hennepin county. This 

 was not reported to the entomologist until the damage was done; in 

 fact, the farmers themselves did not realize the havoc which was 

 quietly going on in their fields until too late to prevent it. I have 

 little doul:)t but that next season, fore-warned as we are, a repetition 

 of this can be prevented. 



Early in the summer various species of cut worms were reported 

 bad in certain sections, flax growing districts being perhaps the 

 worst sufferers. No specimens reached us with the complaints. 

 We have in Minnesota over two hundred species of caterpillars 

 commonly referred to as "cut worms." In June many inquiries 

 reached us regarding galls on plum leaves. This trouble was caus- 

 ed by a small mite known as Eriophycs padi. It has been trouble- 

 some before this date, being reported from ]\Iinnesota in 1884. The 

 Cottony Maple Scale, Puhinaria innumcrabilis, has been again a 

 serious pest. It has been discussed and remedies given in a pre- 

 vious report from this department; we have every reason to believe 

 that it will be finally conquered by parasites and predaceous insects 

 The Stalk Borer, Papaipcma nitcla, has been destructive again, as 

 has the corn worm, Hcliotliis armigerd, the cotton boll worm of 

 the South. A serious report of this pest reached us from Cannon 

 Falls, where "every other ear" was said to be infested. No com- 

 plaint has reached us this season of the Grain Plant Louse, an 

 insect which caused wheat growers some alarm last year. We have 

 had our usual quota of green cabbage worms, potato beetles, and 

 insects affecting squashes and melons. Potato beetles were report- 

 ed as being especially bad in the northern part of the Red River 

 V'alley. The striped cucumber beetle has been kept in check by 



