December, '15] 



CURRENT NOTES 



559 



IMr. A. C. Baker, Bureau of Entomology, has reported for permanent duty in 

 Washington and will be engaged in systematic studies of the Aphididse and Aleyi'od- 

 idae. The -biological studies of orchard plant Hce in progress at the Vienna (Va.) 

 laboratory will, however, be contiaued by Messrs. A. C. Baker and W. F. Turner, 

 Mr. Turner remaining at the laboratory at Vienna. 



Mr. E. G. Carr, Bureau of Entomology, spent the month of October in the moun- 

 tain section of Xorth Carohna and reports that beekeeping is not well developed 

 there but that there is a wonderful opportunity for making it an important phase 

 of agriculture since there is an abundance of nectar and plenty of bees to gather it 

 if properly cared for. 



Mr, R. S. Woglum, Bm^eau of Entomology, recently visited San Diego, Cal., for 

 the purpose of investigating a species of Pteliohius injuring ohve. This oHve insect 

 was found to be estabhshed in various sections of San Diego County. Breeding 

 occurs only in the dead wood. However, the adults cause considerable injury to 

 hving trees, especially to the smaller twigs, by boring into and feeding on the bark. 



Among insects which have been reported as causing injury during the year are 

 the spotted cutworm {Noctua c-nigrum L.) and the variegated cutworm {Peridroma 

 margaritosa Haw.). The last-mentioned species was especially numerous and was 

 reported as occurring in Brownsville, Tex., where it was injurious to onions, and 

 found commonly on weeds and grasses; also along the coast of California and at 

 Norfolk, Va. 



Dr. E. F. Phillips made plans to leave about November 20 to attend meetings 

 of beekeepers in Ontario, Ohio, Chicago and Springfield, 111., Kansas, Minnesota, 

 Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan. This circuit of meetings was arranged to 

 make it easier for those interested to attend. The meeting at Grand Rapids, Mich., 

 is the fiftieth convention of the Michigan society and elaborate preparations are 

 being made for it. 



Among the visitors at the Bureau of Entomology dm'ing October were the following: 

 CP. Lounsbury, chief of the Division of Entomology of the Union Department of 

 Agriculture, South Africa; H. A. Ballou, entomologist on the staff of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture for the West Indies; C. W. Leng, New York; W. T. 

 Davis, Brooklyn; W. S. Blatchley, Indianapohs; J. v. d. H. Schreuder, Pretoria, 

 South Africa. 



Mr. F. R. Cole reports to the Bureau of Entomology that the tachinid parasite, 

 Siphona plusics Coq., has been reared from the cabbage looper (Aufographa hrassicce) 

 from Whittier, Pasadena and Compton, Cal., the last locahty being furnished by 

 Mr. J. E. Graf. This species was described from Autographa cahfornica Speyer 

 from Southern California. Another parasite attacks this species but it has not 

 been reared or identified as yet. 



Dr. Alden T. Speare has recently been appointed a speciahst in msect diseases 

 in the Bureau of Entomology and will make a thorough study of entomogenous 

 fimgi, with a view to their practical utihzation if possible in insect control. He will 

 be glad to receive specimens of diseased insects from all sources, and the material 

 should be accompanied with fuU data as to the host-species, extent of outbreak of 

 the disease, locality, etc. 



According to press reports, Professor Gordon M. Bentley, State Entomologist of 

 Tennessee, has not been reappointed. The following excerpt is from The Southern 

 Florist for October: "Despite the petitions and urgent requests of fruit growers, 



