578 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OP AGRICULTURE. 



The Hj'menoptera, as a rule, occurred most abundantly during tlie forenoon. Of 

 the Lepidoptera, Acontia and Eurycreon were the most abundant. Dichelia was 

 reared to the adult, but the Geometrid larva died, and it is vexy doubtful if this 

 was really one of its food-plants. 



The rarity of Carabidcc is quite suggestive as being in accordance with the lack 

 of earth-inhabiting larva?, and likewise the dearth of Coccinellidce might be traced to 

 the lack of Aphididc^. Bruchus obsoletiis doubtless wandered from a jjlot of beans 

 near l)j'. Colnspis brunnea fed upon thebud:>. The lack of Doryphora was strongly 

 indicative of disgust for the plant, as the adjoinmg plot vras planted to potatoes, 

 wliieli they destroyed, and migrated to other localities, but studiously avoided the 

 buckwheat. The same was true of Epicauta, excepting the vittafa species, which 

 fed upon the foliage quite freely. Diabrotica longicornis was one of the most 

 abundant insects, and fed upon the blossoms. Aphis sp. ? and the Dactylopius 

 were both found upon the roots. The spasmodic occurrence of Blissus Icucopterus 

 has the same signification as the single occui-rence of Dorypliora. Lygus pratensis 

 was one of the most abundant species, and at the time of the last two observations 

 it outnumbered all others ten to one. Melanoplus femur-rubrum seriously injm-ed 

 some of the young plants, but only along the margins. Gryllus abbreviatus cut off 

 the plants and dragged them into its burrows, but only for about the first week 

 after they came up. LarvEe of Chrysopa were quite numerous during August and 

 September. Possibly these were of the same species as the adults. The Anthrax 

 emerged from ptipte in the soil in considerable numbers dui'ing the early part of 

 August. 



Besides these. Dr. Riley (Fu-st Mo. Rep., p. 79) states that the larvse of Agrotis 

 clandestina and (Tliird Mo. Rep., p. 109) Laphygma frjigipjerda {P)^odenki antum- 

 iicdh) affect this plant, as also (Seventh Mo. Rep., p. 159) Melanoplus sprehis. Dr. 

 Cyrus Tliomas (Sixth 111. Rep., p. 171) flunks GastropJiysa polygoni might attack 

 the plant, but we found nothing of the si^ecies in tliis case. In Riley's Seventh Mo. 

 Rep. , p. 43, a correspondent states that Blissus levcoptonis did not affect his com 

 where buckwheat was sown among it. Deilijjhila lineata (larva) is recorded as 

 feeding upon this plant by Dr. Riley in Third Mo. Rep. , p. 141. 



INSECTS AFFECTING TIMOTHY. 



THE QLASSY CUT- WORM. 



{Hadena devastatrix, Brace.) 



On June 29 of the present season Mr. J. G. Kingsbury, of the Indiana Farmer, 

 called our attention to some rumors which had reached him relative to the depre- 

 dations of some kind of worm in the timothy meado\\s about Richmond, Wayne 

 County, Indiana, and we immediately wrote Mr. J. C. Ratliff, of Richmond, from 

 whom, on the 12th of July, we received a reply fully corroborating the rejjorts given 

 us by Mr. Kingsbury. 



On the 15th, in accordance with instructions from Mr. Howard, entomologist in 

 charge, we visited the infested fields, three in number, situated to the northwest of 

 the city, One on the grounds of the insane asylum, another about a half a mile north 

 of this on the farm of Mr. Kreets, and the tliird on the farm of Mrs. Thompson, per- 

 haps 2 miles farther to the northwest. 



The field on the grounds of the asylum, of which about 15 acres were totally de- 

 sti-oyed, had been plowed and planted with corn after the ravages had ceased, but 

 the other two fields, of which about 15 and 20 acres, respectively, had been destroyed, 

 remamed mtact. A critical examination of the affected portions of these two fields 

 revealed the fact that even where every vestige of timothy had been destroyed 4-ed 

 clover remained untouched, and a decided preference had been evinced for low, 

 damp localities. 



In the Thompson field chrysalids were found quite abundantly within a couple of 

 inches of the surface; and with them, in almost equal numbers, were the lai-vaj of 

 Hadena devastatrix, some of which were already in frail earthen cells, preparatory 

 to pupating, all of these last being of a dmgy-white color, with yellow heads. Inter- 

 spersed among the Hadena larvae were a very few of Nephelodcs violans. In the 

 Ki-eet field both chrysalids and larvse were much less abundant, although the de- 

 struction had been equally complete. Here also the i\'t^)7ie?0(7c.s larvae were found, 

 but in a stiU smaller ratio as compared Mith those of the Hadena, 



To settle any doubt which might arise as to wliich of the two species of larvse were 

 the authors of the destruction, we questioned the owners of the fields very closely, 

 as well as the employes on the two farms, but all stated that the striped larvae had 



