78 



Last season I found a Lecanium very abundant on white elm in Illi- 

 nois, and worked out its life history through the first brood this spring. 

 I have not determined it specifically. 



NOTES ON THE ENTOMOLOGICAL EVENTS OF 1896 IN IOWA. 



By Herbert Osborn, Ames, Iowa. 



It is not my intention in this brief note to attempt a review of the 

 insect peculiarities of the season, but merely to call attention to some 

 of the striking events of the season up to the present time. 



The army worm (Leucania unipuncta) has perhaps occasioned more 

 general attention and apprehension than any other species, and there 

 has undoubtedly been no small amount of actual damage as a result of 

 its abundance. 



It was first reported in May from the southeastern part of the State, 

 and from the fact that it was four or five weeks earlier than the time 

 of its usual occurrence in the State I was inclined to believe that one 

 of the common species of cutworms was responsible for the reports, 

 especially as such cutworms had been received from other localities. 



The receipt of undoubted army worms, however, set all question at 

 rest, and within a few days specimens and reports from many localities 

 proved a general invasion. The numbers were certainly greater than 

 have come under my observation before, and can only have been equaled 

 by an outbreak some thirty years ago, which, according to reports of 

 early settlers, was quite destructive, but which from the fact that only a 

 small part of the State was settled was of more restricted injury. 



A second brood appeared in July and, like the first, caused quite gen- 

 eral apprehension, especially where oat fields were destroyed and corn 

 threatened. 



With this brood, however, there was a very general appearance of 

 parasites, especially of Microgaster militarise and so extensive have 

 been the operations of the latter that I do not anticipate further serious 

 destruction. 



The chinch bug has demanded attention through a considerable area, 

 embracing particularly several southeastern counties that have been 

 similarly affected during the two preceding seasons. Injuries, however, 

 have been less, I surmise, than last year. The season has been much 

 more favorable to the spread of disease among them, and either from 

 a natural spread or as a result of artificial introductions has been, so 

 far as reports will justify a judgment, much more effective. While 

 showing the possibilities of this method under favorable conditions it 

 only emphasizes the necessity of such conditions and strengthens my 

 belief that it would be unwise to encourage farmers to rely upon this 

 means as their sole dependence in control of the chinch-bug pest. We 

 have this season been sending infection material with instructions to 



