268 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 11 
Scientific Notes 
On the Life-History of Sarcophaga eleodis Aldrich. On September 13, 1916, 
the writer was collecting material for study of the life-history of several species of 
Eleodes at a point some five miles northwest of Maxwell, New Mexico. The adults 
were quite numerous at this time (about 3.30 p. m.) along the roadsides and, because 
of the scant vegetation, could be seen for some distance, particularly from horse back. 
A specimen of Eleodes obsoleta was about to be picked up when an adult Sarcophagid 
was observed closely following the beetle, about an inch behind. The beetle was 
watched for nearly fifteen minutes during which time it traveled at least eight feet, 
being constantly in motion and followed persistently by the fly. 
Finally the beetle reached the main stem of a Russian thistle and rested. The fly 
immediately mounted its back, facing in the same direction, and remained there for 
about four minutes while it larviposited on the posterior tip of the left wing cover. 
The beetle remained quiet for about two minutes longer, when it moved the tip of the 
abdomen, thereby exposing the anus. At once the larva became active and, in the 
merest fraction of a second, had disappeared within the body of the beetle through the 
anus. 
The beetle thus attacked lived for thirteen days, dying on September 26, and on the 
28th the full-grown larva issued, breaking off the head of the host in doing so. On 
March 12 the larva had entered the pupa stage, from which the adult fly emerged 
on April 3,1917. 
Geo. W. Barber, 
Scientific Assistant, Bureau of Entomology, 
U. S. Department of Agriculture 
Brown-tail Moths Taken on Importations. While inspecting a large importa¬ 
tion of nursery stock, during the first week in February, I took a complete nest of 
the brown-tail moth {Euproctis chrysorrhoea Linn.) on European mountain ash 
(Sorbus aucuparia ). Within the nest of silk and leaves was a large number of live 
hibernating caterpillars. Had this nest of one of our most destructive imported 
pests been permitted to remain on the host tree and planted in the extensive nursery 
in the spring, we would have had another infestation in a short time to rival the most 
serious one now in New England states. This latter infestation is the cause of hun¬ 
dreds of thousands of dollars’ damage each year to the trees and property valuation 
within the infested area. 
In view of this we should use every precaution to prevent another infestation by 
having all importations closely inspected by thoroughly trained men or still better 
have Congress realize the importance of passing a quarantine law which would pre¬ 
vent the importation of all nursery stock which carry destructive pests. This latter 
plan cannot be over-emphasized to our Senators and Representatives in Washington 
at present. We can no longer afford to lose such extensive and increasing amounts 
of property each year due to the rising number of imported insect pests and plant 
diseases. 
During the European conflict foreign inspection of nursery stock is likely to be 
somewhat imperfect, so we must as protectors, give more careful attention to all hor¬ 
ticultural importations. 
T. M. Trimble, Dep. Nursery Inspector, 
Bureau of Economic Zoology, 
Primos, Delaware Co., Pa. 
