278 



Indian -meal moth (Ephestia interpunctella). This is the adult of the white worm 

 which spins the cocoon. The brown worm is the larva of a small beetle known as 

 Attagenus megatoma and feeds ordinarily upon dead animal matter. It is probably 

 beneficial in your mill rather than injurious. A larva very closely allied to the one 

 which is troubling you has recently appeared in Canada and is the subject of an arti- 

 cle in the last number of Insect Life, the periodical bulletin of this Division, a copy 

 of which I send you by accompanying mail. Your insect is referred to on pages 170 

 and 171. If the insect appears to be confined to your ware room I would advise ener- 

 getic treatment to rid your establishment of it. The infested corn should be burnt 

 and the entire room should be thoroughly sprayed with benzine or gasoline, the great- 

 est care being taken to avoid fire, as both of these substances are inflammable and the 

 vapor is explosive. Any further details concerning this matter we shall be glad to 

 receive. — [January 9, 1890.] 



A Cocoanut Pest to be guarded against. 



Small shipments of cocoanuts leaving this port almost continually for the United 

 States, and the possibility existing that some of these cocoanuts are used as seeds, I 

 have, with much interest, watched the scientific observations made at Havana, 

 Baracoa, and here, with the object of discovering the origin of the mysterious disease 

 which is killing many cocoanut palms and at one time almost threatened to annihi- 

 late all the plantations producing cocoanuts for market and export. Opinions of 

 scientists have differed as regards the cause and nature of the disease, Professor Ra- 

 mos, of Havana, ascribing it to a fungus growth on the base of the leaves, which 

 growth penetrates into the crown of the tree, withering and killing it. This theory 

 was proved to be incorrect, and it is now definitely ascertained that the destroyer of 

 the cocoanut tree is an insect of diminutive size, barely visible to the naked eye, the 

 Coccus (Diaspis) vandalicus Galvez. Professor Gundlach, of Havana, at present here, 

 recommends that all cocoanuts as soon as received in the United States be dipped 

 into boiling water and that the bags they are shipped in be destroyed. — [Otto E. 

 Reimer, Consul, United States Consulate, Santiago de Cuba, December 6, 1889, to Hon. 

 Wm. F. Wharton, Assistant Secretary of State, and referred to this Division. 



Food of the Scydmaenidae. 



Is it commonly known what the food of the Coleopterous family Scydmsenidaa 

 consists of? Both Packard in his "Guide," and LeBaron in his Fourth 111. Report, 

 are silent on this subject. A few weeks ago I found quite a series of specimens of a 

 Scydmcenus near brevicornis, and eight or ten of them had each a brown mite in its 

 jaws. I found these specimens clinging to the underside of stones lying on the 

 ground near the edge of a small body of water, the ground being very damp. This 

 would indicate that these insects are predaceous, at least in the adult stage. — [D. W. 

 Coquillett, Los Angeles, Cal., January 1, 1890. 



Abundance of Bryobia pratensis. 



By to-day's mail I send you a vial containing some small insects which I wish to 

 know how to destroy. I first noticed them three years ago last fall, when they were 

 found on windows on the east and south sides of the house. They remaiued all win- 

 ter and until May, I think. After that time no signs of them were seen. We thought 

 they had gone for good, but in the fall they came again and remained all winter as 

 before. They are here to-day. They come in at the doors and windows and get on 

 the furniture. I have tried almost everything to drive them away, viz : Carbolic 

 acid, corrosive sublimate dissolved in benzine, insect powder, tobacco, salt, gasoline 

 coal-oil, onion juice. Oil or grease will kill them if it gets on them, but nothing 

 will keep them away that I have tried. They are hatching now. In the vial you 



