456 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 16 
breeding season. This however did not seem to be the case. The 
adult insect is rather fragile and it is thought that storms might work 
considerable destruction among them. The same might also be said of 
the first and second instar larvae which are quite frail. It is known that 
the first instar larvae can not live as long without food as can Coccin- 
nellid larvae. Other factors of weakness are unknown. 
Bibliography 
Banks, Nathan. 
1906—Transactions of the American Entomological Society, Vol. XXXII, p. 45. 
Hagen. 
1861—Synopsis of the Neuroptera of North America, p. 203. 
Smith, R. C. 
1923—Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Vol. XVI, No. 2, pp. 129- 
148. 
Walker. 
1853—British Museum Catalogue of Neuroptera, p. 283. 
A VALUABLE SNAIL POISON 
By A. J. Basinger, Assistant Entomologist, California State Department of 
Agriculture, Sacramento, California 
Abstract 
A mash made of one part calcium arsenate and sixteen parts bran was used 
successfully as a poison bait in eradication work against Helix pisana at La Jolla, 
California. It is now giving splendid results in the control of Helix aspersa. 
During a campaign to eradicate a foreign snail, Helix pisana, that was 
gaining a foot-hold at La Jolla, California, we succeeded in developing a 
very valuable snail poison that has proven successful not only against 
Helix pisana but also against the Brown Snail, Helix aspersa. This is 
an European species of wide distribution in America and of considerable 
economic importance. In conducting a series of experiments to de¬ 
termine the best means of combating Helix pisana we tried a mash com¬ 
posed of calcium arsenate and bran which we adapted from Lovett and 
Black 1 who used calcium arsenate and chopped lettuce leaves in the 
control of slugs. The calcium arsenate and bran proved so potent a 
weapon against Helix pisana which now is practically anihilated that 
we attribute a large portion of our success in the campaign to this 
poison. Helix aspersa occurred also in the same areas treated for 
pisana and now it, too, is scarce in those areas. There is no doubt but 
that other species of snails could be controlled by the same remedy. 
The poison is made up at the rate of one part of calcium arsenate by 
weight to sixteen parts of bran. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed 
dry and then water is added to make a moist but not wet mash. It 
Tovett and Black, The Gray Garden Slug. Oregon Agricultural College Experi¬ 
ment Station Bulletin No. 170, June 1920. 
