439 



plants, but feeds ou putrid vegetable substances, under bark of trees' 

 moss, or stones, and in decaying fungi, as a very similar larva not yet 

 developed into tlie perfect tly has lately been taken uea^ AVasbington, 

 feeding by hundreds ou the under side of a species of fungus or agaricus, 

 (allied to Amanita muscaria,) which was completely riddled and destroyed 

 by them. If this is the case in one instance, may it not bo probable 

 that these larvtij, when in such multitudes as to entirely destroy the 

 fungi upon which the eggs were deposited and the young larvie had 

 previously existed, may hnd it necessary to emigrate in swarms in search 

 of fresh fungi to feed upon "? 



Insect injuries. — Laclmosterna. — In New Londojpi County, Connec- 

 ticut, the grass, in many meadows, was eaten up at the roots by a worm 

 which, most i)robably, was the Laclmosterna fusca. The white grub- 

 worm — a name which popularly designates several species of the Lack- 

 nosterna — was more or less iujurious to corn in Cass County, Michigan; 

 in Noble and Laporte Counties, Indiana; and in Muscatine and Mahaska 

 Counties, Iowa. 



Potato insects. — The Colorado potato beetle {Doryphoi-a decern lineata) 

 is reported by its specific name only in Ohio, where it was destructive to 

 the crops of Franklin, Hamilton, and Noble Counties. The potato crop 

 Avas molested by insects, not specifically designated, in Washington 

 Countj', Pennsylvania ; in Cass and Shiawassee Counties, Michigan ; in 

 Eamsay County, Minnesota ; in Eeynolds and Ozark Counties, Missouri; 

 and in Curry County, Oregon. 



Cut-icorms. — Some species of the A-grotis, commonly called cut- worms, 

 were injurious to corn in Howard County, Maryland^ and in Cass 

 County, Michigan. 



CMncli-hugs, {Microjms {Bhyparocliromns) leucopients.) — This insect was 

 especially destructive to sorghum in Adams County, Ohio ; in Jennings 

 and Brown Counties, Indiana ; in Jasper and Phelps Counties, Mis- 

 souri ; and in Linn County, Kansas. The newly-sown wheat crop has 

 felt their ravages in Brown and Jennings Counties, Indiana ; in Macon, 

 Boone, Polk, Crawford, Jasper, and Eeynolds Counties, and in Linn 

 County, Kansas. Franklin County, Illinois, was overrun with them to 

 the great damage of the corn crop, as also in Jennings and Boone Coun- 

 ties, Indiana; in Macon, Boone, Crawford, Polk, Jasper, Eeynolds, 

 Phelps, Miller, and Iron Counties, Missouri, and in Linn County, Kansas. 

 In Crawford County, Missoun, three distinct broods are noted. The first 

 a])peared about the 1st of May, and inflicted such damage upon the 

 wheat crop that several fields were plowed up. The second brood came 

 about the last of June, and the third about the last of August. At the 

 last visitation the corn was in milk, and upon it they fell with great 

 voracity, very seriously reducing its yield both of grain and of fodder. 



Army-iDorm, [Lencania unqmncta.) — The army-worm greatly damaged 

 oats in Carroll and Ogle Counties, Illinois. In Cherokee and Labette 

 Counties, Kansas, thej^ did great mischief in newly-sown wheat, especi- 

 ally on stubble ground. 



Hessian fly, {Cccidomyia destructor.) — During the spring the fly infested 

 the wheat in Ealls County, Missouri, and in Labette County, Kansas. 

 In the latter-named county it was observed especially in early sown 

 crops. 



Grasshoppers. — A grasshopper (probably Caloptemis femur ruhrum) in 

 Lincoln County, Kentucky, cut the buckwheat down close to th« 



