MISCELLANEOUS FLORIDA INSECTS. 87 
MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 
The larva of the Papilio cresphontes has, to me, a new enemy. So 
few enemies has it, from its smell, no doubt, that no birds attack it, 
though often exposed. The shrike, that is almost omnivorous, will not 
touch it, nor will the bee martin, nor the mocking bird. The Tachina 
fly is only occasionally a parasite. The Mutilla (cow ant) this year has 
nearly cleared my trees of the cresphontes; it snips out a piece from the 
abdominal ring, takes a sip of the fluid, and then the ‘sugar-ants” 
finish the work. By the way, these “sugar-ants”—small, yellow fel- 
lows—are pests invading the cupboard, getting into meat, sugar, Xe. [ 
find their nests in rotten wood, in roofs, logs, &c. They are nearly as 
bad as the cockroach, and this last ought to be named ‘*Omnivora peri- 
planeta.” Pyrethrum has but little effect on the roach here. 
I made a “grand round” lately to see the effect of my experiments 
with kerosene last year. 
In Bulletin No. 1, pp. 17,18, Professor Hubbard states that a five 
per cent. kerosene emulsion did not prove satisfactory, and that by 
next spring Dr. Neal would have considerably modified his conelu- 
sion. Of course, if the facts proved me wrong, I would, but they do not- 
Experiment 1. Made at Judge J. F. MeDonell’s,5 miles south of me— 
trees 12-32 years old, badly affected. June 1,1883; trees growing well 
and clear of the old scale. The most of the leaves dropped, but a new 
growth soon took their place. 
3. Two miles southeast of Archer. Examined in October and No- 
vember: no scale on the new growth of leaves; none June 1, except 
when trees affected had been set in proximity. 
10. Five miles south. The owner reports, ‘trees in good order; no 
scale on the trees you worked on.” 
From what I have seen, | can see no reason to modify the conclusion 
on p. 34, though I believe it most economical of time and money to buy 
and use “ Bounetheau’s” emulsion, made at Jacksonville. Then a com- 
pound of kerosene, petroleum, tobacco, potash, &c., is cheap and easily 
used. Two two and one-half per cent. applications, one in March and 
one in June, do good work. Dr. Todd, of Lawtey, Fla.,has used ‘“ crude 
petroleum,” made up a la kerosene 5 per cent. emulsion, and likes it bet- 
ter than kerosene or creosote. 
Who has tried “oil of tansy”? A few experiments i have made in- 
dicate that in most cases it is a grand insecticide, and added to kerosene 
emulsion doubles its efficacy. The proportion I have not yet deter- 
mined. It could be very easily obtained, as probably an infusion would 
answer. 
There is a general abeyance of insects this year; very few of the 
Heliothis in corn or tomato; no cotton worms yet found, and no Dysder- 
cus reported. Even the Plusia and Agrotis are not plentiful. Result 
of the warm February? * * * [J. C. NEAL, M. D., Archer, Fla., 
July 3, 1883. 
