147 



occasionally break out again in places, and if these beetles, whose extraordinary ra- 

 pacity can not long be supported by Icerya, can eat nothing else, they must die out, 

 and then the pest will again gain head. I would, therefore, take great care of your 

 Lestophonus, which, although slow, is sure, and has done untold good in Australia, 

 besides having the advantage of living upon other hosts. These, together with your 

 own native parasites, may yet be of great service to you, and quite able to keep Icerya 

 jn check after the beetle has reduced it to a minimum. — \Ji. Allan Wight, Te Komata, 

 Paeroa, Auckland, New Zealand. 



A Museum Pest attacking Horn Spoons. 



I mail you to-day an insect which is destroying our horn scoops, spoons, combs, 

 etc., in the drug store. I also inclosea piece of horn scoop upon which the insect has 

 been feeding. Will you be so kind as to inform me wha^ the insect is, by what means 

 to get rid of it, etc.? * * * _[ j. p. Brashears, Fort Worth, Tex., October 3, 1889. , 



Reply. — » * » -phe insect in question is Anthrenus varins, one of the common 

 museum pests. This insect feeds upon almost any dry animal substance, museums 

 being especially subject to its attacks. It has also been reported as feeding on whale- 

 bone. Bisulphide of carbon will destroy it in all stages, and if your goods are in a 

 comparatively tight show-case or box, this substance can be used easily and with 

 good results. The odor of camphor or naphthaline will probably prevent their at- 

 tacking non-infested material, and these substances are, especially the latter, con- 

 stantly being employed in museums for this purpose. — [October 9, 1889.] 



Some Notes from England. 



C. destructor has certainly spread over a more extended area this year, so far as can 

 be judged by reports, and I only note those (except from qualified observers) that are 

 accompanied by corroborative specimens. But, withal, the injury does not seem (ex- 

 cepting in the case of one field) to be of importance. 



Specimens of what I think may prove to be attack of Diploais equestris Wagner, 

 have been sent me, but the very peculiar "saddle-like" growths consequent on the 

 larval injuries were on barley stems not wheat, so until we make some advance or 

 rear the imago I can not feel sure that we have the true " Sattlemarke." 



The PuJvinaria rthesm Signoret, is a newly observed trouble to Bihes in this coun- 

 try so far as identification goes, but appears to have been here in one, possibly two 

 localities for a few years. * * * — [Eleanor A. Ormerod, St. Albans, England, Sep- 

 tember, 1889. 



A Note on the Lady-bird Parasite. 



To-day while re-reading some of the articles which appeared in "Insect Life " (Vol. 

 I), I was interested in the one on page 101 et seq., entitled "A Lady-bird Parasite," 

 as it called to mind a similar observation made by me in 1885. During a part of that 

 year I assisted Professor Forbes, and transmitted to him in my report in substance 

 the following: "May 29: Attached to the underside of a clover leaf was observed a 

 small cocoon, possibly one-fourth of an inch long. Upon this cocoon a Lady-bird 

 (MegUla maculata DeG.) was found apparently watching the cocoon. The beetle 

 remained in the same position until death came to her relief a day or two after the 

 imago appeared, which occurred June 5." As this was the same beetle observed 

 by you, and as your illustration represents the appearance exactly as observed by 

 me I presume that the observations were parallel, though 1 did not carefully study 

 the parasite, having only a very poor microscope. — [F. W. Goding, Rutland, 111., 



October 10, 1889. 



Nezara puncturing Bean Buds. 



Yours received relating to the insect described as Nezara hilaris. I have closely 

 observed the habits of it since, and think I can not be mistaken when I say that this 

 particular insect has abandoned its predatory habits and taken to a vegetable diet. 



