522 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 17 
problem of studying this pest in the field and developing a practical 
method of control if possible. 
Observations and experiments have been continued throughout the 
past two years, most of the work being done on the large asparagus 
ranch of the California Packing Corporation on Ryer Island in the Delta 
region of the Sacramento River. 
Distribution. According to Hansen (1903) members of the order 
Symphyla have been found in Europe, Algeria, Cape Colony, Venezuela, 
Chile, Southern Brazil, Patagonia, Java, Sumatra, Siam, India, Mexico 
and Northeastern United States. 
Previous to 1903 there had been but four accepted species of the 
Symphyla described in the 138 years that had elapsed since Scopoli in 
1763 described the first species known as Scutigerella nivea. These four 
species had been found only in Europe and in the United States. To 
quote from Hansen, “I venture to state that species of this group can be 
captured in all countries of the world with the exception of the Arctic and 
Antarctic regions.” 
After studying twenty-four species, Hansen is of the opinion that 
Scutigerella is distributed a little nearer to the polar regions than Sco- 
lopendrella. He also believes that more species of Scolopendrella than of 
Scutigerella will be found in warmer regions. He states that with the 
exception of Scutigerella immaculata the distribution of all the known 
species must be regarded as moderately limited. This species in 1903 
was known to be distributed from 60° latitude North, throughout 
Europe, including Sweden, Denmark, England, France, Germany, 
Austria and Italy. In Africa it was known in Algeria; in South America, 
in Buenos Aires, Argentine; in North America, in Cordova, Mexico; 
and in the United States, in Massachusetts, Kentucky and Texas. It 
has since been found in six other states of the United States, including 
Ohio, Georgia, Colorado, Utah, California and Oregon. 
Where it occurs in California, Oregon, Utah the garden centipede has 
been particularly destructive to truck crops. 
In California it has been quite destructive in certain parts of Yuba, 
Humboldt, Sonoma, Yolo, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Ventura, Santa 
Cruz, Santa Barbara and San Bernardino counties; in Oregon, in Lane, 
Umatilla, Yamhill, Clackamas, Jackson, Linn, Multnomah, Marion and 
Benton counties; in Utah, in Davis and Juab counties. 
Description. The garden centipede, Scutigerella immaculata (New¬ 
port) , is ordinarily a small white creature but often the body is tinted by 
the colored food material in the digestive tract, e. g. when feeding on the 
