REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1901 
July 2 and 5, 100 young mantids from an egg mass kept indoors. 
The young were set at liberty in the vicinity. None of the egg 
masses put out of doors developed any insects, Mr Darrison 
states. Messrs Allen, Ambler, Beckwith, Huested, Morrell, 
Roach, Schoonmaker, Stuart, Taber and Williams reported 
negative results. J. T. Gaylord of Poughkeepsie was unable 
to find any young mantids or to discover recently deposited egg 
clusters; but E. H. Austin of Gaylordsville Ct., to whom he 
sent a few eggs, discovered several living mantids about an inch 
or so in length. H. D. Lewis of Annandale found several fresh 
ege clusters, some of them over 100 rods from where the eggs 
were planted last spring. This insect should have become 
established in Albany or its vicinity, but up to the time when 
this report is submitted, nothing very encouraging has been 
discovered. Apparently, quite a proportion of the egg clusters 
failed to hatch, though a number of the young were obtained 
in the office. . 
foe, Phyllodromia germanica Linn. An 
excellent remedy for this household pest was reported on last 
May by Mrs H. D. Crane, Montclair N. J., who found powdered 
borax to be the best of a number of substances tried. She 
states that it must be used freely all around the cracks and 
corners and so placed that the bugs can not get to water with- 
out going over it. Her neighbors also had excellent success: 
with this substance. This insect is such a serious pest in some 
houses that records like the above should be given wide circu- 
- Jation for the encouragement of others. As noted in earlier 
| ‘publications, Hooper’s fatal food has also been used very suc- 
cessfully. There are probably other equally good proprietary 
remedies, but nonpoisonous ones should receive preference about 
houses. 
Unusual abundance of southern forms 
A study of climatic conditions is not without value, since it 
. gives a basis for forecasting the probability of insects being 
able to live in various sections of the country. This is of con- 
siderable importance in the case of injurious and beneficial 
