1286 General Notes. [December, 
ENTOMOLOGY! 
Aw Epipemic DISEASE OF CALOPTENUS DIFFERENTIALIS?—Oa 
Aug. 26th of the present year I noticed numbers of this com- 
mon locust hanging to the upper portions of various weeds in 
the attitude of life, but with their bodies falling to pieces and ap- 
pearing in some cases as if they had been eaten into by birds. 
A hasty examination of the bodies showed that the soft parts 
were entirely destroyed, but the body more or less filled witha 
pulverulent clay-colored mass. Suspecting some parasitic dis- 
ease, I collected a number of specimens, and the following day 
made a microscopic examination of the body contents. This 
showed the substance to be composed of minute spherical bodies 
massed together in immense numbers, which were evidently one 
stage of some parasitic plant, and, as such, specimens were referred 
to Professor Bessey, who pronounced them Entomophthora of a 
species hitherto unknown. He has kindly described the species 
under the name Entomophthora calopteni, and his description will 
appear in this number of the NATURALIST. Bie 
Subsequent observation showed the epidemic to be quite wide- 
spread in this locality, but especially prevalent in the low land 
adjoining a creek which runs about a mile east of the college. 
wo or three weeks after first noticing them I could fin 
scarcely a living specimen of this species of locust in that local- 
ity, though in the college garden they were still plenty, and most 
of them apparently quite healthy. : 
Although the species of locust named is the one which “E 
particularly affected, I have found Caloptenus femur-rubrum a 
dently attacked by the same disease, but no mucroscopic exam 
nation of the body contents was made. akak 
The early stages of the disease have not been noted ” 
tainty as yet, and so far as I can judge they are not marke spe 
it be by a sluggishness of the insect. The locusts gee of 
riably to climb to the upper portion of some tall weed ee fant 
grass. They fix themselves firmly by legs and claws to k pe 
so that they remain after death until broken to pieces, WAER- 
fall away part by part. 
n Ao a ate noted, which were apparently > pe 
dead, the body contained a blackish fluid substance, but pa 
very quickly be replaced, if it always occurs, by the m 
is mass, however, remains moist for some days, : 
kept in a dry place, becomes entirely hard, the oospor 
ing their globular form and original size unaltered. Bega ay 3 
ay 
ur knowledge of this parasite is still too prays pvt 
positive conclusions concerning its economic ga ’ Jestructive 
whether it can be controlled and used against su 
1 This department is edited by Pror. C. V. RILEY, Washington, D. & 
communications, books for notice, etc., should be sent. 38 
2 Read before the Iowa Academy of Science, Sept. 27, 1993- 
but finally, if i 
C., to whom 
N 
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