55 



SCARCITY OF SOUTHERN FORMS OF INSECT LIFE IN 1899. 



Prominent among the Southern species of insects which were notice- 

 able by their scarcity in 1899 was the harlequin cabbage bug, Murgantia 

 Mstrionica, which has come northward from warmer States in recent 

 years. This bug has been the most injurious of all garden pests for 

 several years past in the District of Columbia and near-by points of 

 Maryland and Virginia. The first generation of the bug was found 

 this year only upon wild crucifers and not abundantly on these, and 

 with moderate care on the part of the farmer in destroying the first 

 brood practically no trouble would have been experienced with later 

 generations. Even as it is but trifling damage has been done by this 

 species, although in some small fields some injury has been committed, 

 especially late in the season. 



The tobacco flea-beetle, Upitrioc parvula, which has been quite 

 injurious in the past, and was particularly numerous last year when 

 nearly every leaf of tobacco in many districts was "peppered" with 

 holes, was rare the present season, comparatively speaking, its effects 

 being scarcely perceptible on most plants inspected. 



The imbricated snout beetle, Upiccerus imbricatus, though several 

 times observed, was rarer than in several years. 



The green June beetle, Allorhina nitida, though locally not really 

 rare, was much less common than usual, and not nearly so abundant 

 as last year. Col. W. Rives reported it extremely scarce at Rives, Md., 

 as did also Mr. A. T. Goldsborough at Wesley Heights, D. C. 



The squash -vine borer, Melittia satyrimformis, appeared so late in 

 the season that large crops of cymblings were obtained without diffi- 

 culty, something that was an impossibility, owing to the numbers of 

 the insect, during the season of 1897 and 1898. Later in the season 

 the species showed its presence, but not in such excessive numbers as 

 in former years. 



The two Pyralid borers of cucurbit fruits, the so-called pickle worm, 

 Margaronia niticlalis, and melon caterpillar, M . hyalinata, were neither 

 of them to be found, though frequent search was made for them. The 

 former was observed in considerable abundance in 1S97, doing appre- 

 ciable injury in this vicinity, but could not be found in 1898. The lat- 

 ter was observed, although rarely, in 1898. 



The cabbage Pionea, Pionea rimosalis, was not found at all in the 

 neighborhood during the season, although many cabbage patches were 

 visited in the course of investigation of insects affecting cruciferous 

 crops. Southward the species was present in some numbers and did 

 appreciable damage. Specimens received in the fall were parasitized. 



The garden webworm, Loxostege similalis, was not noticed once the 

 past season, although search was made for it. Specimens, however, 

 were received from Georgia, and moths as well as larvae were numerous 

 during two years preceding. This is very obviously a Southern species, 

 as it extends its range into South America, from which it has spread 

 northward. 



