as ts Me | 
Forest fires increase bark-beetle menace.--K. A. Salman, Berkeley, 
Calif., reports that "Final analysis of the Sugar Hill Burn study on the 
Modoc National Forest was completed during the month (November). This 
fire, which occurred in July, 1929, apparently had no influence on tree 
growth of that year. Growth in 1930 was depressed below the normal, 
and recovery after 1930 was slower in the fire-injured trees than in 
those outside the burn. Conclusions show (1) that in ponderosa pine the 
trees most heavily defoliated by fire are the most susceptible to attack 
by bark beetles and other cambium insects; (2) that susceptibility is 
increased in trees suffering from cambium injury in addition to foliage 
injury; (5) that where salvage operations are considered, following a 
fare, the highest risk to surviving trees is where more than 50 per cent 
of the crown has been killed by the fire, and that these should be sal- 
vaged along with dead timber if possible." 
CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECTS 
Drought and close grazing reduce range caterpillar.—-In a report on 
his recent trip to the range caterpillar territory in northeastern New 
Mexico, 0. L. Barnes, Tempe, Ariz., says: "Range conditions were poor 
over practically all the area observed, due principally to lack of rain- 
fall during the summer and early fall. * * * The entire range caterpil- 
lar area visited had been very closely grazed, grasses or other plants 
Suitable for egg deposition were very scarce in many localities, and ap- 
parently the larvae of the range caterpillar (Hemileuca oliviae Ckll.) 
had died in large numbers over a considerable portion of the area vis- 
ited. * * * Range caterpillar eggs could be found after a brief search 
at almost any point in the caterpillar territory, but eggs in concentrated 
quantities suitable for mass collecting were observed in only three gen- 
eral localities-—-near Greenville, in Union County; Mills, in Harding 
County; and Wagon Mound, in Mora County. Grama and other grasses were 
rather abundant and weather conditions had been more suitable in these 
areas. By far the best collecting area of all was located about four 
miles south of Wagon Mound. It was estimated at the laboratory that ap- 
proximately 8,000,000 range caterpillar eggs were collected this season 
(for breeding the parasite Anastatus semiflavidus Gahan) ." 
Longevity of adult alfalfa seed chalcid in relation to food.--L. L. 
Stitt, Tempe, reporting on longevity studies of Bruchophagus funebris 
How., says: "The longest life of any individual was 106 days-~a female 
in the constant temperature room where the average temperature was 76° F. 
and the food consisted of a honey-water solutionny*..* wo In one series 
where the B. funebris received no food the maximum length of life was 5 
days for females and 4 for males. In another series where they Roreay se 
honey-water for food the maximum length of life for the females was 77 
days and for the males 19 days. The series kept in the constant temper— 
ature room and given honey—-water for food gave a maximum length of life 
of 106 days for the females and 77 days for the males. In the series 
