1 893-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 269 



Pimpla conquisitor Say, was seen in great numbers (July 17th) flying 

 up and down the bark of trees in Logan Square, Philadelphia. The in- 

 terstices of the bark were full of the larvae and cocoons of Orgyia leu- 

 costigma, which had been coraled by a ring of tar about four feet from 

 the ground. It was inferred that the Pimpla is parasitic upon the above- 

 mentioned moth larvae. • 



Acute Larval Foresight OF 7>)/^^«-y«*&<5c/zV. -The daughter of a West- 

 chester County friend, beyond Mount Vernon, N. Y., for several years 

 tried to raise a few pupae for me of such larvae, which infected their grape 

 arbor. Generally she failed. As usual, when I visited this locality this 

 July for A. idalia, Sat. alope, and Neon, cajtthus, she handed me two 

 segar-boxes for inspection. One contained five Darapsa niyron larvae, 

 dried up leaves and not enough of hard garden loam in lumps, to half 

 cover bottom of box. The other disclosed four abbotii larvae half-grown, 

 but turning dark as if to pupate, more dried-up leaves, and no earth what- 

 soever. A few larvae were dead in both boxes. Under the leaves I found 

 a cocoon-like object, which, when examined, proved to be a full-grown 

 abbotii larvae " spun up " in a grape vine leaf, perfectly cylindrical in out- 

 line and closely encasing the contracted larva. It was in fine condition. 



For years I instructed this young lady and family how to raise larvae of 

 desirable species, and not to be afraid of handling such. This year many 

 of these larvae were thrown in the fire, so that they could not "sting or bite" 

 the little children ! I made' another search for larvae with the aid of 

 the children, and in an hour had found fifteen others of half-grown and 

 larger myron and abbotii larvae on that arbor. They were put in a barrel 

 half filled with moist loam, in the centre of which I placed a tomato-can 

 filled with water, containing food-plant and loose grass to prevent larvae 

 falling into it. Top was covered with heavy manilla paper and cheese- 

 cloth to prevent cats and other curios from lodging therein. It is the object 

 lesson which best convinces and teaches the most indifferent of all mankind. 

 — Richard E. Kunze, M. D., New York. 



Ravages of the White Ant. — The rapid increase within a few years 

 of the white ants ( Termes flavipes) in the city of New York, and espe- 

 cially Harlem, which is now overrun with them, makes the fact of their 

 present and future injury a very serious one, especially as their habits and 

 lives while underground are so very litde known, it having always been 

 supposed that there was but one queen in each colony, while the fact is 

 . that their number varies in different colonies, having found as many as nine 

 and at another time fourteen laying and fertile queens living together in 

 the same cell or gallery, this being I believe the first record of queens 

 being found It is not alone to dead wood, whether sound or de- 

 caying, that they confine their operations ; living plants and shrubs are 

 just as liable to their attacks, and some kinds seem to be preferred to the 

 decaying wood, which is their natural food. Such are geraniums, of which 

 they are very fond, eating everything but the outer skin and leaves, which 

 they leave intact. I had over twenty standard geraniums, from two to 



