75 



of about 9,500 feet, near the snow line, feeding on a Rpceies of wild Cralo'gufi. Of 

 course there is no liorticnlture carried on at this altitude, l)nt since we are in the 

 upper part of the cultivated district (east of Utah Lake;) wn llnd this Cli8ioc:iuii)a 

 about as nniuerous and destructive as flyphautrUt cunca is in the worst years at Wash- 

 ington. It is confined to the apjjle trees, and only when these are utterly defoliated 

 does it attack the plum trees which are in the immediate vicinity, and then only such 

 as have their branches iuterlockiug with the apple. The caterpillars are now full- 

 grown and develop a marked migratory instinct; i. e., very few web-up on the 

 apple trees, but they descend and wander about, webbing up in fence corners, and 

 more especially between the leaves of other bushes and trees, and by this habit they 

 become injurious also to the gooseberries, currants, etc., because the webbed-up 

 leaves of these are drying up. The species will no doubt have parasites, but I fail 

 to find any insect enemies, since there are neither Calosomas nor large Heteroptera 

 to be seen in the gardens. But there is a bacterial disease raging among the cater- 

 pillars, and thousands may be seen clinging, dead, to the fences or tree trunks. The 

 l^ear and cherry trees are absolutely free from this pest, nor did I succeed in finding 

 here a single specimen on the few wild-growing bushes (there are no trees here). 



Not a single other orchard or field-crop pest seems to exist here, but in the gardens 

 of Salt Lake City the "Woolly Aphis, Schizoneura lanigera, has fairly established itself, 

 doing great damage there, but apparently not yet distributed over the open country. 

 The Cottony Maple Scale, Pulvinaria inniimeraiilis, is also at Salt Lake City on the 

 box elder, Nef/itndo aeeroides, hut not very abundant. — [E. A. Schwarz, Aniericau 

 Fork, Utah, June 22, 1891. 



Reappearance of the Wheat Straw-worm in Kansas. 



I beg to inform you of the reappearance in damaging numbers of the "Wheat 

 Straw-worm,'' your Itioaoma tritici. It is quite prevalent throughout central and 

 northwestern Kansas and the damage in some counties will be very severe. In this 

 (McPherson) county, I do not estimate the damage to exceed 5 per cent. They occur 

 usually above the joint near the head, showing that the eggs were deposited late in 

 the season. As a result, but little damage is done, owing to the practical ripening 

 of the head at this time and before the larva has had time to develop. — [ W. Knaus. 

 McPherson, Kans., June 18, 1891. 



Reply. — Thorough tlirasbiug ought to reduce the numbers of this insect consider- 

 ably ; but if it does any great damage, we also have a remedy in our hands by sac- 

 rificing the straw and burning it, as so few of the insects will be found in the stubble 

 that this source of reinfection is very slight. — [June 22, 1891.] 



Allorhina Injuring Oaks. 



It would be difficult at present to estimate the extent of injury done by the insects 

 of which a specimen was sent you. They seem to increase in numbers, and their size 

 and the hardness of their wing cases prevent the insectivorous birds from doing them 

 much harm, though the jay birds appear to eat a few of them. The mocking birds, 

 catbirds, etc., do not molest them. 



They bore into and extract the sap from the tender branches of the trees, and the 

 leaves soon wither, the branch becomes dry, and either of its own weight or from the 

 force of the wind, breaks and hangs down. The natural growth about the town 

 consists principally of black and scrub or post oaks, and the insects seem to prefer 

 the juices of the black oak, almost entirely neglecting the other variety. 



In feeding the insect confines itself, so far as I have been able to observe, to the 

 tops of the trees, presumably because it finds there the new and consequently tender 

 growth.— [Frank Triplett, Springfield, Mo., July 22, 1891. 



Note.— The beetle referred to is Allorhina nilida. — Eds. 



