BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 269 



Rice insects. A Farmers' Bulletin treating of the principal in- 

 sect enemies of the rice crop in the United States has been prepared 

 for publication. 



INSECTS AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF MAN AND ANIMALS. 



In cooperation with the National Research Council and the Sur- 

 geon General's Office of the War Department, studies on the body 

 louse were actively pursued during the yeiy. This work resulted iii 

 the accumulation of much practical information concerning the 

 value of the laundry processes, the dry-cleaning processes, and other 

 means of control. A large number of chemical methods of treatment 

 were also studied, and additional observation on the bionomics of lice 

 was made. Many proprietary louse remedies were carefully tested, 

 in cooperation with the Insecticide and Fungicide Board, thus pro- 

 tecting the Government against expenditures for worthless remedies. 



An expert of the bureau has been assigned to work, in cooperation 

 with the Public Health Service, on the problem of the species and 

 habits of flies breeding in human excreta, especially in the open privies 

 in rural communities of hookworm regions. The headquarters of 

 this Avork are at Wilmington, N. C. 



Several of the experts of the bureau were assigned to sanitary work 

 in the Army, especially with relation to the insects that carry disease. 



The work on insects affecting domestic animals has been con- 

 siderably enlarged. Investigations of the biology, distribution, and 

 methods of control of the ox warble were especially taken up, and im- 

 portant facts were gained in regard to biology. The work upon the 

 screw worm was continued, as well as investigations of the horse- 

 flies in eastern California and Nevada. Life histories of three of 

 the more important species have been fairly well worked out. The 

 lice of domestic animals have been studied from the remedial point 

 of view, and methods of applying sodium fluorid to destroy chicken 

 lice and pigeon lice have been perfected. Some supervision of cer- 

 tain packing establishments has been carried on in the effort to 

 reduce the number of flies. This has been a continuation of previous 

 work and is of much importance. 



BEE CULTURE INVESTIGATIONS. 



This Avork has continued under the supervision of Dr. E. F. Phil- 

 lips. It has been chiefly a continuation of the campaign for increas- 

 ing the honey crop, which was begun as a war measure. The educa- 

 tional activities then begun have l3een so eagerly received that they 

 can not be discontinued, and it is still important that the enormous 

 loss of ungathered nectar shall be reduced. During the year the 

 apiary and laboratory Avere moved to a building in Somerset, Md. 



Demonstrations in bee culture. In addition to funds available 

 under the regular appropriation, $15,000, available from the food- 

 production act, Avas used for demonstrations. The Avork was con- 

 ducted as one project. As qualified men Avere found the number of 

 agents Avas increased until there were in the field 16 men, working in 

 cooperation with the several extension divisions of the 20 States to 

 Avhich they were assigned. Because of the great difficulty of finding 

 competent men, it was possible to maintain an average force of 

 only 12. 



