17 



AN EXTRAORDINARY TWILIGHT FLIGHT OF LACIINOSTEKNA. 



* * * luclosed please find specimens of bugs which passed oveu from north to 

 south in wondeiful swarms or droves the evening of the 7th, about one to every Id 

 inches square, as low as 5 feet from the ground to 12 to 15 feet high. When I first 

 heard them I thought it was a swarm of bees, but soon saw my mistake. When I first 

 heard and saw them the sun was just hid from sight, and they continued to fly until 

 quite dark. As far as I have heard the swarm or drove was 1| miles wide. Where 

 they came from or whither they went I do not know, but it was new to me, both 

 insect and their great number. I send them to you to know if they are common and 

 their origin. — [S. H. Linton, Burrows, Ind., May 9, 18S7. 



Reply. * * * The beetle proves to be Lachnosterna tristis, a near relative to the 

 common May beetle, which, as you doubtless know, is the parent of the White Grub. 

 This particular species is one of the smallest of the- genus and is not at all uncommon. 

 It is frequently turned up in plowing, as it hibernates in the beetle state under ground. 

 The larva is much like the White Grub, through smaller, and probably feeds upon 

 the roots of various plants in the soil. The swarming which you describe is very in- 

 teresting. These beetles often occur in great numbers, but so far as I am aware they 

 have not been observed to fly in such swarms before dark. They probably bred in 

 the near neighborhood of the locality where they were observed, and as they feed on 

 leaves of different trees soon after dark, they were probably in search of proper food, — 

 [February 15, 1888.] ^ 



LIME AND TOBACCO FOR CURRANT WORM. 



Results of experiments are requested by the very inception of your Department. I 

 will relate a success. Last summer I went out into the garden one morning and 

 found the currant worm {Nematus ventricosus) had attacked one side of a currant bush 

 and one side of a gooseberry bush. I sprinkled the parts of both on which the worms 

 were at work, and then dusted on a compound of 2 i)arts of unslacked lime and one 

 part of tobacco dust, from a cigar factory, which killed every worm and stopped the 

 injury. One application was sufficient. — [V. M. Firor, Chailestov/u, W. Va. 



SOME NOTES FROM MISSISSIPPI. 



I have the honor to submit a report on insects most injurious to field and garden 

 crops for the past year, 1887. 



(1) The Cottonworm (Aletia xyl'ina) appeared in some portions of our county in 

 July, in othersin August, and in my own vicinity about the middle of September. The 

 damao-e done by them averages from 10 to 40 per cent, of the entire crop. I have found 

 one of the worms closely wrapped up in dead Sweet Gum leaves in the fence corners 

 of my field as late as January the 8th, 1888, but in a very stupid condition. (2) Boll- 

 worm {HeliotMs armigera) did but very little damage here on corn as well as cotton. 



(3) White Ants or "Wood Lice" {Termes Jlavipes K.). Have found these insects de- 

 stroying a good many cotton-stalks during the past summer, attacking the stalk just 

 below the soil, eating out the interior, which would kill the plant at every instance. 



(4) Southern Cabbage-butterfly {Pieris protodice B.). The cabbage crop was seriously 

 damaged by the worm of this fly. (5) Cabbage Plusia (Z^/ws/a brassicae'R.). This 

 worm likewise did a great deal of damage in the gardens of this community. ((>) The 

 Greasy Cut- worm (Ji/ro<is 2/psi^o)i, Rott.). This worm has been more plentiful this 

 past season and destroyed the stand of cabbage plants as fast as transplanted. (7) 

 Glassy Cut-worm (Hadena devaslatrix B.). Found several specimens of this variety in 

 my garden cutting down cabbage, beet, and radish plants. (8) Squash Borer {JEgeria 

 CMCMr&t/ae Harris). This insect has been a formidable cnomy to squash, pumpkin, 

 cashaw, and cucumber, killing them in many instances in field and garden. — [G. H. 

 Kent, Roxie, Miss., January 28, 1888. 



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