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MONTHLY LETTER OF Tren OF ENTOMOLOGY 



7 UNITED STATES DEP Dae &s GRICULTURE 
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Number 119 | 7 7 Mew ] March, 1924 
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ik FOREST INSECT INVESTIGATIONS 
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" F, C. Craighead, Entomologist in Charge 




‘Dr. Craighead spent a few days in March visiting points in the Shenan- 
~doah Valley with S. H, Marsh, Supervisor of the Shenandoah National Forest. 
sett southern pine barkbeetle outbreaks were examined and considerable 
_ te reached greatest proportions last fall and in many Siecks the beetles 
have killed out all the yellow pines and gone into the neighboring white pines. 
At very few places, however, were vigorous broods found, indicating that there 
may be a decline next year. 
Dr. Snyder, on returning from Panama, reports that damage by termites to 
the woodwork of buildings in the Canal Zone is common and severe, while injury 
to living forest, shade, and fruit trees by the subterranean termite Coptotermes 
niger Snyder is serious; healthy living trees are attacked and killed. No 
proper methods of preventing cr remedying termite damage to buildings are being 
taken at present by the Canal Zone officials. A series of experiments have 
been begun in the Canal Zone with wood preservative treatments to prevent termite 
damage to buildings and their contents, as well as tests of insecticides to 
kill Coptotermes infesting trees. J. Zetek of this Bureau, stationed at Ancon, 
C. Z., and this Branch are cooperating in these experiments, some of which, 
through the courtesy of the Tropical Research Station, will be conducted on 
Barro Colorado Island, where 19 species of wood-boring termites occur. 
. On March 3, 4, and 5, J. C. Evenden, of the Forest Insect Field Station, 
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, gave a series of five illustrated lectures on Forest 
entomology to the forestry students at the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. 
On March 10 and 11, Mr. Evenden attended the quarterly meeting of the North 
Idaho Forestry Association at Spokane, Wash. At this meeting considerable 
time was given to an informal discussion of forest insect problems. 
On March 6, Dr. H. E. Burke lectured before the Zoological Club of 
Stanford University on Fighting the Western Pine Beetle. The lecture was 
illustrated by the Department moving picture of the same title. 
Control work carried on by the California State Highway Commission against 
the cypress bark scale (Hhrhornia cupressi Ehrhorn), demonstrates conclusively 
that the method of control recommended by the Palo Alto Laboratory is a com- 
plete success. One hundred and twenty-four large cypress trees were sprayed 
October 31, 1922, with the spray composed of 8 gallons of 28 degree gravity 
miscible efi, 1 gallon of cresol soap spreader, and 91 gallons of water. Up to 

