INSECT PEST SURVEY BULLETIN 
Vol. 4 April 1, 1924 No.l 
OUTSTANDING ENTOMOLOGICAL FEATURES IN THE UNITED STATES 
TOR THE PERIOD ~RO:* NOVEMBER 1, 19 23, TO AP^IL 1, 19 24. 
Last winter witnessed seme entomological developments that are extremely 
significant to the Survey. The symposium on methods of estimating insect abund- 
ance and damage which occupied the attention of the American Association of Econ- 
omic Entomologists at tneir annual meeting at Cincinnati brought out many interest- 
ing features of survey work. The papers were remarkaole for the broad philosoph- 
ical way in which the subject was handled and clearly indicated the rapid advance 
that is Deing made in basing entomological practice upon established scientific 
principles instead of empiricism. 
The appointing of a committee to standardize methods of estimating insect 
abundance by this Association and the response which this committee lias received 
from the members of the Association is enlightening, and will undoubtedly lead in 
the immediate future to the accumulation of a much mere useful mass of data on 
this subject. 
The winter was marked by notably cool weather over the greater part of the 
United States during October, followed in the latter part of the month by a warm 
spell. Precipitation as a rule was normal to below normal except in the north- 
eastern States and Great Plains, unusually wet weather occurring in western Kansas. 
East of the Mississippi River the cool weather continued through November, while 
over the central valley and tne Great Plains the weather was decidedly warmer and 
in the Dakotas it was the mildest recorded in 3C years. The Southwest had cold 
rainy weather during November while the Pacific Coast was experiencing a drought. 
December was unusually warm, the weather in some places in the New England States 
being the warmest ever recorded, while the end of the month brought seme very cold 
weather in the Northwest and from the Great Plains westward- January witnessed 
extreme frost damage in the South Atlantic States when a very severe cold wave 
spread over this region on the 5th and 5th of the month. The Gulf region exper- 
ienced similar cold weather, and but for cloudy weather serious damage would have 
been done in Floridc - -. On the 2d and 3d of January very severe cold weather was 
felt in California, and during the month the entire western region was dry and the 
East wet. February started out mildly, but rapidly turned cold as the month ad- 
vanced, severe freezing weather occurring in the South Atlantic, Gulf, and Elcrida 
regions, while the temperature in the Rocky fountains and on the Pacific Coast was 
about normal. 
The European corn borer made very slight increase in the infested terri- 
tory in the western part cf its distribution. On the other hand, two hew " 
inf est at i ois iflxtardi southward to Long Island, making a very material advance toward 
the southeastern corn belt- 
LIBRARY 
- 7 - STATE PLANT BOARD 
