Vol. II, No. 2.1 INSPECT LIFE. [August, 1889. 



SPECIAL NOTES. 



The Grain Louse. — The common Grain Aphis (Siphonophora avence) 

 has quite outdone itself this season. Appearing in enormous numbers 

 in parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio, it re- 

 mained in the fields much later than usual, and it was not until nearly 

 time for wheat harvest that its natural enemies had sufficiently in- 

 creased to destroy it. Toward the end the parasites and predaceous 

 insects were present in startling numbers and we have been able to 

 rear many new ones, as well as to recognize at least two of Fitch's spe- 

 cies. The insect enemies which we have so far found comprise eight 

 species of hymenopterous parasites, one dipterous parasite, three spe- 

 cies of Syrphid flies, two Chrysopas, and a number of Coccinellids. 



The Grain Louse itself is a difficult insect to figbt, and it is most fort- 

 unate that it is usually killed off by its enemies before appreciable 

 damage is done. Its operations this year have doubtless caused some 

 shrinkage of the crops, the amount of which can not be estimated at 

 the present time. 



The proposed Economic Entomologists' Union. — At about the time when 



this number of Insect Life is being mailed an earnest discussion as 

 to the advisability of such an association as we proposed in our Janu- 

 ary number will be going on at Toronto. Mr. James Fletcher, Domin- 

 ion Entomologist of Canada and president of the Entomological Club 

 of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, im- 

 pressed with the great desirability for such an association and encour- 

 aged by favorable comments from a number of prominent workers, has 

 issued a call for a preliminary meeting at the Toronto meeting of the 

 American Association for the Advancement of Science. 



We earnestly hope that an organization will be effected, for we feel 

 sure that it would result in great benefit to the members and to the 

 country at large. 



Statistics of Loss from insects. — As a contribution to the interesting 

 study of the damage done by insects, computed in dollars and cents, 

 we publish in this number a careful summary of the damage done by 



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