
CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECTS 
Miss Esther H. Hart, Artist for this division, who retired on 
February 29, wishes to extend to her friends and associates in Wach— 
ington and her friends in the field her deep appreciation of the gift 
presented to her on that occasion. 
Aged leafhoprer survives low temperatures.--F. W. Poos, of the 
Arlington Experiment Farm, Rosslyn, Va., reports: "One female Empoasca 
abrupta De L. has survived all of the low temperatures (down to 10° F.) 
in a life-history cage in the insectary. This individual was 176 days 
of age on April 1." 
British Musevm exchanges billbuvgs.--From A. F. Satterthwait we 
have the following note: "A collection of 11 species of Calendra, 10 
new to the (reference) collection of the Webster Groves, Mo., laboratory, 
was sent by the British Museum in exchange for several species supplied 
from duplicate material at the Webster Groves laboratory." 
Procenia ornithogalli Gven. flies unusually early.—J. R. Horton, 
Wichita, Kans., states that "On March 29" he "found one adult of the 
yellow—striped armyworm on the wing. This is the earliest record we have 
of the occurrence of this moth in the spring. Observations during sev— 
eral years have shown that its flights generally occur in the latter 
part of May. In 19351, the first moths were taken April 19, the earliest 
record up to that time * * * Both the present flight and that of last 
year were probably due to the exceptionally mild winters preceding." 
Pogonomyrrex barbatus F. Smith breecs uncer laboratory conditions. 
—-V. L. Wildermuth, Temre, Ariz., reports that "A large molding plas— 
ter cage was constructed by E. G. Davis, and a colony of red harvest— 
er ants with an active queen was established therein. Galleries and 
storage chambers were fashioned after those found in a normal ant colony, 
and the face of the cage is covered with a sheet of glass, protected by a 
removable opaque slide for observing the seasonal and life-history ac- 
tivities of the colony. Moisture chambers are provided in two of the 
food chambers; and while it is realized that there may be some trouble 
in temperature control, simulating the temperature found in an ant 
colony, it is hoped that much additional information may be secured from 
iis cage. The queen had already cCeposited one cluster of eggs by 
the end of the month (March)." 
Mortality of corn borer increased by freeze.—-Reporting from the 
European corn borer laboratory at Toledo, Ohio, Morris Schlosberg says: 
"A survey made March 31 revealed a mortality of corn borer larvae of 
approximately 9 per cent in the Toledo District, an increase from ap- 
proximately 2 per cent recorded in previous surveys. This may be as- 
cribable to the unseasonably cold weather conditions that prevailed 
during March. An abnormally mild and open winter may account for the 
markedly low rate of mortality obtaining previous to this time. The 
(surviving) borers apgear in excellent condition in the field.” 
