BEE CULTURE. 
H, F. Phillips, in charge. 
wocvor. HE. F. Sete ip in charge of bee culture investiga 




















ure of the bee colony in winter, at the Zoological Laboratory of 
Iniversity of Pennsylvania, at West Philadelphia. 
Doctor Phillips attended the annual Be eae of the National 
sekeepers’ Association held at Saint Louis, Mo., during the week of 
sbruary 16th. to 21st. 
: , CEREAL AND FORAGH INSECT INVESTIGATIONS. 
F. M. Webster, in charge. 
Laphygma frugiperda may be found at Brownsville, Tex., in 
| 11 stages every month in the year, although it is @ifficult to find 
6 in winter months. It injures corn especially, but is also found 
1 sorghum and alfalfa, and occasionally on sugar cane and Bermuda 
rass. Corn grown in the fall is most seriously injured. 
. Tt is not possible to trace a definite number of genera- 
- The egg stage varies from 2$ to 12 days, the larval stage from 
to 55 days and the pupal period from 7 to 35 days. In the winter 
mths the frosts and cold "northers" are the principal checks on the 
4ltiplication of the species, but from May until November it occors 
a large or small numbers according t» the abundance of its parasites. 
; aN The most important work to be done here on this species is 
study of its parasites, of which eleven species occur. A thorough 
a of these parasites extending over several years will probably 
\l the reason for the occasional outbreaks which cause so much 
ee in the eastern and northern poe: The parasites found at 
sville are: Meteorus laphygmae, Rhogas laphygmae, Apanteles 
di, Zele melleus, Chelonus texanus, Ophion bilineatus, Euplectrus 
syhypenae, Limnerium dubitata, Pristomerus applachianus, Meteorus 
, and the Tachinids, Feontina archippivora, and Archytas ee 
mow the life History of the following parasites: Meteorus laphyanea 
iteles harnedi, Chelonus texanus, Ophion bilineatus, .Euplectrus, 
hhypenae, and Limnerium dubitata. The Seasonal history of the 
ites is important and interesting, and is worth a thorough study. 
nate hosts should be looked for especially. All of the parasites 
lot present all cf the time. Usually three or four species are dom- 
and the others occur in small numbers. Some of the important spe- 
! aré rare at times We have made very thorough collections the past 
mime r and have not found the Tachinid, Frontina archippivora or the 
eonid, Rhegas laphyemae. The latter,species was numerous last year. 
3 results of our work here collecting larvae and rearing parasites 
phasize the importance of thorough collecticns extending over a 
riod of several years before making definite statements as to which 
asites are present or as to the relative importance of any one spe- 
$s. From the work done during the past year we would say that 
ogas laphygmae, which was numerous in 1912, is not found at this 
ui An attempt to introduce it would almost certainly prove suc 
ful as it‘is probable that it will be found here again. 
Limnerium dubitajta and Apanteles harnedi were very numerous 
