49 



THE STRAWBERRY CROWN-BORER. 



(Tyloderma fragarice.) 



This insect lias done slight damage to one old bed. I have not in a 

 single instance observed theui in young beds. 



THE PLANTAIN CURCULIO. 



{Macrons sp.)' 



This insect was received from Medina County, the first specimens ar- 

 riving July 21. With them came several specimens of plantain which 

 were so thoroughly tunneled by the little grub that they had died. 

 There were from two to six grubs in a single plant, and they completely 

 exhausted the fleshy portion of the root. From this lot, received July 

 21, several adult beetles issued August 7. These were left in the cage 

 several days, and I tliiuk must have deposited eggs on fresh, plantain 

 growing in the cage, as several days later, when examining this cage 

 preparatory to cleaning it up, I found several young larvae in the fresh 

 plantain I had put in the cage on receiving first supply. These were 

 observed closely. They pupated August 25 and issued September 3 to 

 1. Another lot of specimens was received August 6, placed in a differ- 

 ent cage, began pupating 16th and issued 25th to 29th of August. From 

 the account of the gentleman sending them they were quite destructive 

 over a limited area. 



A NEW OAT FLY. 



(Osciuis f sp.) 



This insect was discovered while visiting the northern part of Union 

 County, some 50 miles from Columbus, to investigate another insect 

 which had appeared in the wheat. (This insect proved to be Meromyza 

 americana, and was confined to a very limited area, though it took 

 the plants clean so far as it went.) The date of this visit was June 

 15, aud the farmers had first noticed the attack upon the oats about 

 June 9. The oat plants were 6 to 8 inches high and where attacked 

 appeared as though a fire had swept over them just low enough to scorch 

 the upper blades. Eggs and larvae were both present at this time as 

 described in my letters. The injury was confined to spots of several 

 rods in dimension, but several fields in the neighborhood were affected. 

 At my last visit, June 25, I estimated the damage to be about 10 per 

 cent, in spots affected. A quantity of the plants were brought home 

 and placed in breeding cage. On Juno 20 the first iinagos, two in 

 number, issued. From this cage they issued afterwards almost daily 

 until July 7. 



On my second visit 1 also brought home material in which larva' and 

 pupae were quite abundant, but found no eggs. Flies issued from this 

 batch in great numbers up to July 12. 

 17528— No. 13 1 



