71 



coudncted. EinpiTsa and Sporotrichnm develop aide by side iu the infecting cages, 

 and dead bngs sent in from fields wliero the bugs are <lying show both fungi. At 

 the close of the season I liope to present a full report of the laboratory investigations, 

 which the brief monthly reports ofter no space for. Prof. S. A. Forbes, the eminent 

 State entomologist of Illinois, who has experimented in his laboratory on the devel. 

 opment of parasitic fraigi iu insects, and who early noted the bacterial disease of the 

 chinch bugs, visited my laboratory last week. He expressed the hope that a series of 

 field experiments such as are now being carried on in Kansas could be conducted in 

 Illinois. 



In closing, I may say that the outcome of the work so far this year is highly en- 

 couraging. 



Since making this report the requests for infected bngs have grown 

 much less numerous. The laboratory experiments have been carried 

 on with more attention paid to bacteria. So far I have been unable to 

 successfully infect bugs in the laboratory from pure cultures of Sporo- 

 trichum. The Sporotrichum grows readily on a medium composed of 

 beef broth and Irish moss, and i)ure cultures are easily obtained. 

 Other experiments with these cultures are necessary, however, to make 

 this statement positive. Empusa will not fruit on the plates. It be- 

 haves very peculiarly. Long erect filaments are sent out strikingly 

 different from the customary hypluB, but no spores are produced. As 

 regards the bacteria, I am assured that the forms in my cultures are 

 identical with Burrill's Micrococcus insectorvm, two slides of which 

 have been furnished me by Professor Forbes. This Micrococcus is found 

 almost without exception in bugs which have died in the field and been 

 sent in for examination. Another Micrococcus, larger and almost per- 

 fectly circular in optical plane, is often present in dead and dying bugs. 

 Spraying experiments with fluids containing this Micrococcus give no 

 successful results in infection. 



I am not in position at present to make a full report of the season's 

 work in the field and laboratory'. This report 1 shall make in the late 

 fall. 



* * * * « * * 



Other injurious insects besides the chinch bug in Kansas especially 

 noticeable this year were the Hessian Fly, in about thesame abundance 

 as usual. Much damage is annually done by this pest. The Wheat 

 Straw Worm [Isosoma tritici) was reported from a dozen or more coun- 

 ties of the state in June. It occasioned considerable alarm and really 

 did some damage to the wheat in central and western Kansas. I re- 

 ceived reports of the presence of the worm from twenty-seven corre- 

 spondents. It appeared in wheat which had been planted on stubble 

 ground, though the state of affairs shown in one or two reports contra- 

 dicted this general condition. One correspondent reports the worm in 

 wheat planted on sod 5 another in a field of 40 acres new ground, 

 only grown to wheat once before, plowed last fall and after the wheat 

 had come up fed off so close that the field looked quite bare. The Wheat 

 Head Army Worm {Leucania alhilinea) was reported in June from a 

 few fields. However, little damage was done. 



