Eighth Report of thi Entomologist, 



211 



State Entomologist of Illinois, as Aphis cueumeris, and was treated of 

 by him at considerable Length (nine pages) in the Twelfth Report on 



the Insects of Illinois, published in 18S3. 



Fig. 49.— The melon aphis, Aphis cucumeris, winged oviparous female. (After J. B. Smith.) 



It is there characterized as " a minute, very sluggish, green or green- 

 ish-black insect, occurring in immense numbers from spring to late 

 summer, on the underside of the leaves, and also upon the roots of 

 muskmelons, cucumbers, squashes, and other cucurbitaceous plants, 

 causing the leaves to curl and shrivel and lose their color, and greatly 

 hindering the development of the plants." 



It further appears, from Professor Forbes' account, that it was iirst 

 observed in Illinois, in 1880, as doing much injury to nutmeg and 

 muskmelon vines, and also to the cucumber vines. Early in the spring 

 )f 1882 it made an overwhelming attack on both watermelons and 

 luskmelons, in many localities in Illinois, entirely killing the plants. 

 Cucumber vines growing in the vicinity were not greatly injured; 

 squash vines to a slight extent. 



In some instances, where the vines were not at once killed by exces- 

 sive numbers, the plant-lice disappeared from them about the 1st of 

 LUgust, permitting the plants to rally somewhat and yield a partial 

 ;rop. Many of the insects had been parasitized, and their dead bodies, 

 >y thousands, were found clinging to the leaves. 



This insect has not, so far as we know, been previously reported from 

 the eastern part of the United States. It is to be hoped that in its 

 >resence here it may be met by the same parasitic attack that checked 

 increase at Normal, Illinois. The operations of the parasite — a 



