92 



I hope that the publication of these statements will excite some inter- 

 est among practical students of entomology and lead to a closer study 

 of those species which interfere with the well-being of our own kind. 

 It may be that a closer study of the facts will furnish data that will 

 explain why the sting of an insect which in some instances is followed 

 by serious consequences, is in others perfectly harmless. 



Such data might throw some light on the mysterious play of idiosyn- 

 crasies. — H. H. Behr, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, 

 Gal. 



AN INVASION OF THE LARGER DIGGER AVASP. 



August 8, 1898, Messrs. Gudewill & Bucknall, of New York City, 

 sent specimens of the so-called larger digger wasp (Megastizus specio- 

 sus), the well-known enemy of the dog-day harvest fly or cicada, with 

 the accompanying report that this insect had appeared at Tarrytown- 

 on-the-Hudson a few weeks previously and had taken complete posses- 

 sion of a large croquet lawn, a bank alongside of it, and a long piece 

 of gravel path. They had become a nuisance through their habit of 

 excavating their burrows and throwing loose earth into large piles, 

 described as being the size of a soup plate. Inquiry was made as to 

 whether the sting of the insect was dangerous, and instructions were 

 sought for the extermination of the insect in the places which it had 

 invaded. 



This wasp had never been observed in that vicinity prior to this year. 

 It would be interesting to learn if it will obtain permanent lodgment in 

 a locality so much farther north than is usually inhabited by the spe- 

 cies. It is a well-known insect in certain of the public parks of New 

 York City, and it is common also in some places on Long Island, but 

 we have no available records of its common occurrence farther north 

 than this. 



RECENT INJURY BY THE SUGAR-CANE BEETLE AND RELATED 



SPECIES. 



During the last two years, and particularly during the year 1898, 

 extensive injury has been reported to the corn and rice fields of the 

 South by the sugar-cane beetle, Ligyrus rugiceps Lee, and the related 

 species, L. gibbosus DeG. 



May 18, 1897, Mr. G. G. Gray sent specimens of the sugar-cane beetle 

 from Poolville, Union County, Miss., with the accompanying informa- 

 tion that this insect was rooting up and destroying the corn in that 

 vicinity. 



June 23 of the same year Mr. John Duncan, Louisville, Ky., wrote 

 that this species, specimens of which accompanied his letter, and which 

 were received by him from Arkansas, exact locality not stated, "cats 

 the corn off just below the tox^ of the ground and is very destructive to 

 young corn from the time it comes up until it is knee-high." 



