108 



the capture of some 30 specimens. This is not the first record of the occurrence of 

 the species in New York State, but it does not appear to have been noticed near New 

 York City before this time. 



Recent Injury by the Margined Vine-chafer. — June 24, 1899, Dr. E. K. Harding 

 Orange, Va., wrote that this insect, Anomdla marginata Fab., specimens of which 

 were sent. later, was troublesome in that section of Virginia. The beetle was stated 

 to devour the leaves of fruit and other trees and bushes, eating the fruit around the 

 stem so as to cause ib to fall off. Injury had never been noticed prior to 1899. 



Food Plants of the Blister Beetle (Henous confertus). — Under date of June 7,1898, 

 Mr. F. W. Thurow, Harvester, Tex., writes that this black meloid beetle, specimens 

 of which he sends, appears to be a general feeder, but that it takes a special liking 

 to Amaryllus Candida, an early fall-blooming exotic plant cultivated in this country. 

 At first it keeps the leaves eaten off, afterwards taking the flower stem, and next the 

 flower itself. Mr. Schwarz says that this species also attacks potato, but prefers 

 wild Solanum. 



The Original Home and a New Food Plant of the Harlequin Cabbage Bug. — Prof. 

 T. D. A. Cockerell finds at Las Vegas, N. Mex., and formerly at Embudo, N. Mex., that 

 Murgantia Mstrionica occurs abundantly upon a Capparidaceous plant, Oleoma serrulata. 

 He thinks, and the editor sees no reason to differ from him, that the Harlequin cab- 

 bage bug is probably native to that region, and that the Cleome is its proper food 

 plant, or one of them. 



Injury to Strawberries by Myodocha serripes. — June 1, 1899, Mr. T. J. Peyton, 

 Eapidan, Va., sent specimens of the Lygreid, Myodocha serripes 01., with the report 

 that it was very injurious to strawberries by puncturing the fruit. They were 

 observed to attack the berry in all stages of its growth, but did not attack the vine 

 at all. They begin by puncturing the fruit as soon as the bloom drops, and con- 

 tinue until the berry is destroyed. As many as 20 of the bugs could be observed on 

 a single large berry, and hundreds were about each plant. They were stated to 

 increase by thousands daily, and to be destroying our correspondent's entire crop, 

 which gave promise of being very large for the space planted. Vines were stated 

 to have from 50 to 75 green berries on each, and from most of them not a single ripe 

 berry was obtained. The insects punctured the small ends of the green berries, and 

 this appeared to retard their growth, causing them to become small and knotty and, 

 of course, not fit to eat. Attack by this insect of the nature specified has previously 

 been recorded in the same locality by Prof. W. G. Johnson (Bui. No. 20, n. s., p. 63). 



Hibernation of the Electric-light Bug. — Mr. H. J. Giddings, of Sabula, Iowa, 

 sent to this office under date of February 4, 1899, an adult specimen of Belostoma 

 americanum, which had been found alive under the ice in a creek, the temperature at 

 the time being 10° F. below zero. 



The Praying Mantis as an Enemy to the Apiary. — August 20, 1899, Dr. O. M. 

 Blanton, Greenville Miss., wrote that this species, Stagmomantis Carolina, specimens 

 of which accompanied his letter, was quite often found about his apiary feeding 

 npon the bees. They were stated to devour them as ravenously as a cat would a 

 mouse. Our correspondent was informed that these insects also fed upon house 

 flies. 



Mayflies on Lake Erie. — The following note has been received from Dr. IT. M. 

 Smith, of the United States Fish Commission: 



Capt. John Baxter, of the U. S. light-house tender Haze, reports that he has at 

 times sailed through 20 miles of dead May-flies in the middle of Lake Erie. 



On July 20, 1899, I found on the flat top of a gas buoy near the national boundary 

 line thousands of dead May flies. About one year ago wheu I was at the same buoy 

 there were many more May flies on it. The entire top, about 4 feet in diameter, was 

 covered with a mass of May flies fully 2 to 4 inches thick; these had been matted 

 into a compact cake by rain and sun. 



