“4 E-224 
MONTHLY LETTER OF THE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Number 96 ‘April, 1922. 
TRUCK-CROP INSECT INVESTIGATIONS 
i 
F, H. Chittenden, Entomologist in Charge 
J. E. Graf, entomologist in charge, field control, Mexican bean 
beetle, has ju:t returned to Birmingham, Ala., after a somewhat ex- 
tended trip in New Mexico and Colorado. Much of the time was spent 
in the Estancia Valley in the vicinity of Mountain Air, N. Mex., 
where interesting observations on the hibernation of the Mexican 
bean beetle in its western habitat were made. Hibernating indivi- 
duals were found several miles from any previous bean plantings 
and high in the hills in partially wooded sections of the valley. 
It is thus apparent that the hibernation in woodlands is character- 
istic of the beetle, the same tendency having been shown in Alabama. 
The observations made futher tend to explain the close adherence of 
the beetle to the Rocky Mountain foothills and its failure to extend 
eastward as has the Colorado potato beetle through plantings of beans 
on the plains. Evidently a certain amount of woodland is necessary 
to provide suitable hibernation quarters and the beetles have failed 
to hibernate successfully when extending their range eastward, being 
thus conrined to regions where favorable quarters were reached. In 
the East, which is comparatively heavily wooded, no limitation of 
this nature will prevail and the beetle will probably be able to ex- 
tend its range over the entire territory east of the Mississippi 
River. 
E. G. Snyth, formerly chief entomologist of Porto Rico, and con- 
nected with this Bureau as entomological assistant from 1908 to 1913, 
as extension entomologist from 1917 to 1918, and as collaborator dur- 
ing 1921, has been appointed as special tield agent to undertake a trip 
to southern Mexico with the hope of discovering parasites of the Mexican 
bean beetle suitable for importation into the United States. Mr. Smyth 
will proceed by way of Birmingham, where he will stop over for consulta- 
tion with Bureau employees, and thence to Mexico by rail, where six 
months will be spent in investigations of the Mexican bean beetle and 
related tvpes with particular reference to parasites and factors af- 
fecting the economic importance of this pest in its native habitat. 
N. F. Howard, specialist in charge, research, Mexican bean beetle 
investigations, Birmingham, Ala., reports that beetles deposited eggs in 
hibernation cages at Birmingham, Ala., and Thomasville, Ga., on March 14. 
The beetles emerged from the hibernation cages at these places on April 17 
in considerable numbers. 
W. M. Mingee, field assistant in insect control, employed by this 
branch since 1919 and stationed-at Ocean Springs, Miss., has resigned to 
engage in private business. 
