276 



The Horn Fly in Mississippi. 



It may be of interest to entomologists to know that this insect has of late been 

 reported in many localities in the eastern portion of this State. Early in October I 

 Teceived a letter from Mr. A. H. Bush, of Macon, requesting information in regard to a 

 "troublesome fly " that had appeared in his herd of cattle early last May. From the 

 habits of the insects as given by Mr. Bush I was quite sure that the insect was the 

 Horn-fly, and a visit to Macon November 2 proved this to be the case. At this time 

 but a few flies were to be seen, but I was informed that before a cold snap of the 

 ^week preceding the fly had been very numerous. 



Desiring to know the extent to which this insect was distributed throughout the 

 State, an inquiry was inserted in the Southern Live Stock Journal, and the answers 

 to this inquiry showed the insect to be present in nearly all of the eastern portions 

 of the State. The statements of correspondents and personal oltservations as to the 

 habits of the insect agree with those of Messrs. Eilej' & Howard, and Smith, most of 

 the farmers estimating the decrease in the flow of milk at nearly one-half. In lo- 

 calities from which the Horn-fly was reported, it seems to have appeared late in May 

 and was especially numerous during July and August. The fact that it had not been 

 reported from the western portion of the State leads to the conclusion that it has 

 not yet reached this locality, or at least not in numbers sufiicient to attract attention. 



The spread of this insect may be watched with interest. First attracting atten- 

 tion in New Jersey in 1887, its spread southward and westward has been rapid, this 

 year having appeared in Ohio, Kentucky, and Mississipjji. As to its future distribu- 

 tion and abundance, of course none can say, but it seems to me probable that it will 

 eventually become a more serious pest in the Southern than in the Northern states. 

 It is to be hoped however that the parasites reported in the last report of the Ento- 

 mologist of the Department (p. 248) will greatly lessen the numbers of this insect in 

 the future. — [Howard Evarts Weed, Mississippi, December 6, 1891. 



A southern Cricket destructive to the Strawberry. 



I send sample of a cricket, together with some of its young. Is it a new species? 

 Its burrow, when plowed out, was some 6 or 8 inches deep and perhaps 2 feet long. 

 This applies to all the species. In an oblong oval chamber at the end of the channel 

 leading to the burrow I found the cricket hovering its young, some thirty in number, 

 like a hen and chickens. During fall and winter this insect is, if numerous, very 

 destructive to young strawberry plants, cutting oft" the leaves and carrying them 

 into its hole. A pocket or cave near the surface is always found full of the cut leaves. 

 Have never seen one on the surface, unless dug out, except at twilight, when it comes 

 out to feed. Have fed them meal soaked in strychnine, arsenic, and Paris green. 

 Although they would carry it into their holes they were alive when dug up afterward. 

 A little hot water poured in their holes kills them. That is the only remedy we have 

 found, and answers the purpose very well. I am most perplexed about Nature's 

 mistake in this case, and in course of time shall expect to see this insect change its 

 form into something like the Mole Cricket, as its tools to dig with are entirely inade- 

 quate to do the digging it does. The piles of dirt are forced up, and it looks as if a 

 sausage stutter did it. At first I supposed it merely cleaned out the holes of the Mole 

 Cricket, but I found by observation that I was mistaken. It is very strong and active 

 and altogether an interesting insect. It is always the imperfect insect that does the 

 damage, and, as 1 observe, lives a year before it bi-eeds. I might write much more 

 of its habits, but I expect it is a common species already known and written up. It 

 is called the White or Cotton Cricket here in the South. Out of hundreds dug up 

 this is the only adult or perfect specimen I have seen. — [M. Knickerbocker, Florida, 

 October 11, 1891. 



Eeply. — * * * The cricket arrived in good condition, and is new to the col- 

 lection of the National Museum. It is a species of the typical cricket genus Gryllus 

 and is likely to be new to science. — * ' * [October 17, 1891.] 



