Vol. V, No. 5.] INSECT I^IFE. IssuedJuly, 1893.] 



SPECIAL NOTES. 



The 1892 Report of the Official Entomologist of Canada. — Mr. James 

 Fletcher's report as Entomologist aud Botanist of tlic Experimental 

 Farms of Canada occupies pages 144-167 of the Annual Eeport of the 

 Director and Officers, recently published. The entomological portion 

 of the report is shorter than usual, but includes several articles of im- 

 portance. After a summary of the insect outbreaks of the year, Mr. 

 Fletcher gives detailed attention to the Hop-vine Borer {Hydrcecia 

 immanis Guen.), the Red Tuiuip Beetle {UntoDioscelis adonidis Fab.), 

 the Western Blister Beetle {Cantharis nutfalU Say), the Birch Buccula- 

 trix {Biicciilafri.r canadensisclla Chamb.), an egg-parasite of the Cur- 

 rant Saw-fly, and ''some other useful parasites." The Hop-vine Borer, 

 or "Collar worm of the Hop," is reported by certain Canadian hop- 

 growers to be the most injurious insect in the hop yard, not even 

 excepting the Hop Plant-louse. Mr. Fletcher's article on this insect is 

 a carefully i)repared summary of jirevious writings, but includes no 

 suggestions of new remedies. The Eed Turnip Beetle has done con- 

 siderable damage during the past two years, in the northwest territory, 

 and Mr. Fletcher gives a careful review^ of its life-history and recom- 

 mends the Paris-green remedy. The Western Blister Beetle, together 

 with other species of its family, did considerable damage in the north- 

 west territory during 1892 and its extraordinary abundance is doubt- 

 less due, as in the United States, to the prevalence of locusts during 

 the preceding year. The Birch Bucculatrix, which we treated on page 

 16 of the current volume, is reported to have been extremely abundant 

 in the vicinity of Ottawa. The eg<fi: parasite of the Currant Saw-fly is 

 a species of the genus Trichogramma, and the other parasites reported 

 are: Another species of the same genus within the eggs of the Im- 

 ported Willow Saw-fly {Xenmtus palUdiventris) ; Piiiipla ellopiw, Harr., 

 reared from the chrysalides of tlie V^ancouver Island Oak-looper; an 

 undescribed species of Telenomus from the eggs of this last species; 

 Tricliognunma pretiosa and a new species of Telenomus from the eggs 

 of the Zebra Caterpillar, and Apantch'.s congreijatuH from the larva^ of 

 both the Tomato worm (Protopurcc crlcKs) and the Lesser Grape-vine 

 Sphinx [Aiiipelophaga myron). 



