446 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 16 
A NOTE ON THE HONEY DEW PRODUCTION OF THE 
APHID, LONGISTIGMA CARYAE HARRIS 
By William Middleton, U. S. Bureau of Entomology 
Abstract 
Observations on the aphid, Longistigma caryae Harris, at Washington, D. C., 
showed that it remained active, excreting honey dew, later in the year 1922 than 
had been previously recorded. Weather reports reveal late excesses of temperature 
associated with this record and a brief summary of reports of the occurrence of the 
species with some extracts from literature are included. 
During the latter part of October a number of complaints of annoy¬ 
ance by honey dew were received at the Bureau of Entomology, U. S. De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, from residents of Washington, D. C., Jersey 
City, N. J., and Philadelphia, Pa. Some examinations of trees in 
certain sections of the Capitol City were made on October 26, 1922, and 
a large aphid, Longistigma caryae (Harris), was found to be abundant in 
clusters along the under sides of large limbs on a number of sycamore 
shade trees. Specimens from Jersey City showed the same aphid and a 
brief description of a louse associated with the Philadelphia complaint 
agrees with this species though not to an extent permitting a positive 
determination. At Washington, D. C., the trunks and branches of a 
number of sycamores and the side-walks and fences beneath showed 
decided traces of the sweet liquid excreta of the aphids and a cluster low 
on the trunk of a young sycamore was observed to show some fresh 
globules of honeydew although the day was cool. Further, the dropping 
of this material from the trees in certain sections of the city soiled the 
clothing of passersby and automobiles parked and passing beneath and 
attracted some unwelcome insect visitors. 
On the 14th of November the aphids were still present in masses and a 
yellow jacket (Vespula sp.) was observed flying about those on the young 
sycamore where there was still some trace of fresh moist honeydew on 
the baik. 
Since there seems to be no previous record for production of honeydew 
by this species of aphid at this geographical position (Latitude 38° 53 / 
17" N. Longitude 77° l' 34 /r W. of Greenwich, Altitude 160) so late in 
the year, the observation should be worth recording and it may be of 
interest to review the weather conditions at Washington, D. C., during 
the months of September, October and early November as a factor 
probably contributing to this possibly unusual occurrence. The summer 
had been warm and dry and arranged below are the weekly average 
temperatures, precipitations and excesses or deficiencies for the period 
mentioned. 
