80 



SPREAD OF THE MEDITERRANEAN FLOUR MOTH IN PENNSYLVANIA. 



March 15, 1905, we received specimens of the Mediterranean flour 

 moth (Ej)hestia kuehniella Zell.) in different stages from a corre- 

 spondent in Montgomery County, Pa. The insect was reported to 

 have given no end of trouble since it arrived in some corn about a 

 year before. The injur}^ was of the characteristic form due to the con- 

 struction of webs in the flour, in spouts, elevators, and reels, Avhich 

 prevented the stock from running. It was necessary to remove 

 bolting cloths from reels, and to take out elevator belts and clean 

 them. The fact was noted that the stock in the elevators and reels 

 is kept so warm from grinding that the insects breed nearly as rapidly 

 in winter as in summer. The insect was accompanied by the con- 

 fused flour beetle (TrihoUum confusum Duv.). 



The recent very rapid increase of this flour moth has been already 

 noted in the Yearbook of this Department for lOOtt, page 603. 



TUSSOCK CATERPILLARS IN FLORIDA. 



March 22, 1905, Ave received word from Mr. E. Neve, Tampa, Fla., 

 that an army of caterpillars had made their appearance in that city 

 and in several localities in the suburbs, stripping oak shade trees of 

 eveiy leaf, and spreading to other plants, even invading houses by 

 entering the windows, crawling over porches, and climbing walls. 

 Some persons claimed that the caterpillars stung them, causing ugly 

 sores, and it was feared that the orange groves in the vicinity of the 

 city Avould be infested. The insect concerned in this case is one of the 

 tussock caterpillars, Hemerocamjxi inornata' J^eut., a near relatiA^e of 

 the better known northern white-marked tussock cater^^illar, Hemer- 

 ocampa leucostigma S. &. A. The soreness complained of Avas the 

 result of the irritating action of the hairs of the caterpillars on the 

 delicate surface of the skin, particularly on the neck and back of the 

 hands. 



A SQUEAKING SPHINX CATERPILLAR. 



September 20, 1904, Mr. A. C. Wharton Avrote us of a large cater- 

 j^illar Avhich he had taken at Port Gibson, Miss. It was described 

 as over 2 inches in length, of a pale greenish blue color, and armed 

 at the posterior extremity Avith a rather stout spine curving back- 

 ward. On capturing it Avith his fingers he Avas surprised to hear it 

 emit a distinct sound resembling the squealing of a very young mouse. 

 The sound Avas faint but quite distinct at a distance of 2 feet. The 

 species Avas identified by Dr. H. G. Dyar as Cressonia juglandis S. 

 & A., Avho states that this species always " squeals " when seized, 

 'from Avhich fact it is quite generally knoAvn as the squeaking sphinx. 



The caterpillar of the death's-head moth of Europe, Manduca atro- 



