323 



The crafty tree-hopper {Diedrocephala versuta Say) is widely dis- 

 tributed throughout tlie United States and has many food-j)hints. I 

 found it very common on cotton in Mississippi, its preference being for 

 the terminal sprouts and tender, newly-formed leaves. Although quite 

 numerous no serious injury seemed to follow its punctures. 



The irrorated sharpshooter {Aulacizes irrorata Fabr.). Frequently 

 found associated with Homalodisca coagulata, which it somewhat 

 resembles in appearance and in its habits. 



The garnished jassid {Phlepslus excultus Uhl.) is common all over the 

 South, and its natural food plant is evidently some native grass. It 

 was only occasionally observed on cotton. 



The half-clothed jassid {Eutcttix seminudus Say) was often taken on 

 the stalk of the cotton, and was observed to feed upon the juices of the 

 plant. It is an omnivorous feeder, and will probably never become so 

 numerous on any one plant as to be considered a serious pest. 



In addition to the above, I took feeding on cotton, Gicadula 4-lineata 

 Forbes, G. 6-punctata Fabr., and Chloroneura sp. 



The cotton aphis {Aphis gossypii Glover) was exceedingly common, 

 but was i)reveuted from increasing too rapidly by its natural piirasite, 

 Lysiphlehus testaveipes Cr., many of which were bred from it, and by 

 numerous predaceous insects belonging to the families CoccinellidsB, 

 Chrysopidie, Hemerobiidjf , and Syrjihidie. 



The cotton Aleyrodes {A. gossypii Fitch). I see no valid reason for 

 believing this insect anything else than the species described by Fitch 

 under the name of Aspidiotus gossypii, he evidently having mistaken a 

 dried pupa of an Aleyrodes, attached to a leaf of cotton, for a coccid 

 belonging to the genus Aspidiotus. 



This species lives on the leaves, and toward the latter part of July 

 and to the middle of August becomes exceedingly numerous, many 

 hundreds occurring on a single plant, and when disturbed they fly up 

 in powdery clouds. 



The eggs, from fifty to a hundred or more, are laid on the under side 

 of a leaf, without any regard to order, resembling those of the orange 

 Aleyrodes, only somewhat smaller, with a shorter iDedicel, paler color, 

 and with the surface perfectly smooth and shining. These hatch in 

 from four to five days, and the young larvje attach themselves to the 

 leaf and begin feeding on its juices. 



Although occurring by the thousands, I could detect but slight injury 

 caused by these insects. 



ORDER LEPIDOPTERA. 



The most serious insect enemies to cotton are found in this order. 

 Many insects belonging to other orders live and feed upon cotton, but 

 as may be seen by these brief notes, these do not as a rule become 

 serious pests, and while it is important that they should be destroyed 

 whenever practicable, no apprehension should be felt on their appear- 

 ing occasionally in the cotton fields. 



