miscellaneous florida insects. 87 



Miscellaneous Observations. 



The larva of the Papilio crespkantes has. to me, a new enemy. Bo 

 few enemies has it, from its smell, no # doubt. that no birds attack it, 

 though often exposed. The shrike, that is almost omnivorous, will not 

 touch it, nor will the bee martin, nor the mocking bird. The Tachina 

 fly is only occasionally a parasite. The Mutilla (cow ant) this year has 

 nearly cleared my trees of the cresphontes: it snips out a piece from the 

 abdominal ring, takes a sip of the fluid, and then the " sugar-ants '■ 

 finish the work. By the way, these "sugar-ants" — small, yellow fel- 

 lows — are pests invading the cupboard, getting into meat, sugar, &c. I 

 find their nests in rotten wood, in roofs, logs, &c. They are nearly as 

 bad as the cockroach, and this last ought to be named "Omnivora peri- 

 planeta." Pyrethrum has but little effect on the roach here. 



I made a u grand round" lately to see the effect of my experiments 

 with kerosene last year. 



In Bulletin No. 1, pp. 17, 18, Professor Hubbard states that a five 

 per cent, kerosene emulsion did not prove satisfactory, and that by 

 next spring Dr. Xeal would have considerably modified his conclu- 

 sion. Of course, if the facts proved me wrong, J would, but they do not- 



Experiment 1. Made at Judge J. F. McDoneH's,5 miles south of me — 

 trees 12-32 years old, badly affected. June 1,1883; trees growing well 

 and clear of the old scale. The most of the leaves dropped, but a new 

 growth soon took their place. 



3. Two miles southeast of Archer. Examined in October and No- 

 vember : no scale on the new growth of leaves: none June 1, except 

 when trees affected had been set in proximity. 



10. Five miles south. The owner reports, "trees in good order: no 

 scale on the trees you worked on." 



From what I have seen, 1 can see no reason to modify the conclusion 

 on p. 31, though 1 believe it most economical of time and money to buy 

 and use "Bounetheau's" emulsion, made at Jacksonville. Then a com- 

 pound of kerosene, petroleum, tobacco, potash, &c.,is cheap and easily 

 used. Two two and one-half per cent, applications, one in March and 

 one in June, do good work. Dr. Todd, of Lawtey. Fla., has used " crude 

 petroleum, " made up a la kerosene 5 per cent, emulsion, and likes it bet- 

 ter than kerosene or creosote. 



Who has tried "oil of tansy".' A few experiments I have made in- 

 dicate that in most cases it is a grand insecticide, and added to kerosene 

 emulsion doubles its efficacy. The proportion 1 have not yet deter- 

 mined. It could be very easily obtained, as probably an infusion would 

 answer. 



There is a general abeyance of insects this year; very few ot' the 

 Ileliothis in corn or tomato : no cotton worms yet found, and no Uysder- 

 cus reported. Even the Plusia and Agrotis are not plentiful. Result 

 of the warm February! * * * [J. 0. Nkai. M. 1>.. Archer, Fl«.. 

 July ."►. 188 '-. 



