REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS ANI> EXPERIMENTS. 



pine and fir trees in Oregon which are infested with Kern • Jive 



with this beetle, and the same may be said of the Monterey pirn- 



infested with Lecaniuin, upon which this insect preys. //. 12 maculate 

 Gebl. has been but rarely found in Oregon feeding on plant-li< 

 Our largest Coeeinellidae, Mysia and Anatis. are also aphis-feeding 



insects, yet they are but rarely met, with since they live upon high 

 coniferous trees infested with Lachnns. In warm days during early 

 spring they were often found coming out from their winter quart 



out of old stumps, from behind bark of trees, etc. Amongst the conif- 

 erous trees. Mysia hornii Or., Anatis 15-punctata Oliv., A. rathvoni 



Lee. and A. sitbvittata, Muls., were met with. 



Psyllobora 20-maculata Say is found nearly everywhere, yet lean 

 nothing in regard to its value as an aphis-feeder. It can be found in 

 large numbers and in all st ling upon the powdery mildew 



( Uncinula spiralis B. & 0.) upon our grape-vines and do doubt upon the 

 mildew of other plants as well. 



Our smallest Coeeinellidae, the Scymnids, are chiefly found to be 

 Ooccid-feeding insects, yet Scymnus nebulosus Lee. can be considered a 

 valuable agent in destroyirg the hop louse. In one instance this 

 beetle destroyed a colony that had been established upon a vine for 

 about three weeks. Scymnus sp. near tenebrosus Muls. is occasionally 

 found upon the hop louse, also in large numbers feeding upon Kei 

 on fir trees. 



Some Oregon Fruit Insects. — One of the most abundant and injurious 

 insects to fruit buds in Oregon is Syneta albida Lee. I noticed that a 

 great part of the buds and blossoms on prune and plum tree- 

 eaten out, and it was not long before this beetle could be observed 

 doing the mischief. So numerous were they that along the edge of a 

 fir forest, upon plum trees, from fifty to one hundred could be shaken 

 off of every tree. Owing to its pale color, this beetle is not easily 

 noticed among the blossoms where it hides itself, yet it can easily be 

 shaken off'. 



A Tortricid larva that eats into and destroys a large part of the cur- 

 rant berries was observed in Oregon. The green as well as the ripe 

 fruit is attacked by the larva that lives in a web among the berries 



Carpocapsa pomonella has become very numerous and destructive in 

 that State, and as with nearly all newly introduced insects, its work 

 will be very seriously felt for a few years to come, until some natural 

 enemies will acquire the habit of feeding upon it. The enemies of this 

 insect are already many. During the present season 1 have bred this 

 uoth from cherries. 



In Australia 1 have bred many Species of Oscinids from larva- prey, 

 ing both upon Coccidae and Aphididse. Alter mjr return to Alameda 

 a similar larva was found preying upon a small Aphidid that ii 

 Physianthus alba. During the autumn oi' is«c_> six of these lai 

 placed in a vial and from these three parasites were bred this spring. 



