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TRUCK-CROP INSECTS 
A. C. Davis, who is engaged in studies of mushroom insects at Ta— 
koma Park, Md., has found that "The artificial rearing medium for pho- 
rid flies does not seem to be so successful as it was hoped it would be. 
One generation can be reared upon spawn, manure, or artificial medium, 
but the eggs laid do not hatch. This seems to be the common exper-— 
ience, both 0. E. Gahm and C. A. Thomas having found the same thing. 
These flies are present all through the season in most mushroom houses." 
S. E. Crumb, Puyallup, Wash., reports having received "from the Eu— 
ropean Parasite Laboratory at Hyéres, France, approximately 150,000 ear— 
wigs aS a source of the dipterous parasites Digonichaeta setipennis Fall. 
and Rhacidoneura antigua Meig. for rearing and ultimate colonization in 
the Pacific Northwest. From these at least 2,000 puparia of Digonichaeta 
have been obtained. The percentage of infestation by Rhacidoneura can 
not be determined until next spring, since this species passes the winter 
in the host. The collections purposely were made somewhat late for Digo— 
nichaeta in an effort to secure as many as possible of the rarer Rhaci- 
doneura." 
Some results of a study of the part that birds play in the biologi- 
cal control of the celery leaf-tier at Sanford, Fla., are reported by 
Dayton Stoner. "In addition to the field observations, * * * stomachs 
of 521 birds representing 24 species have been collected. * * * it now 
seems evident that the Florida red-winged blackbird is the most impor- 
tant single local bird species in checking the increase of the celery 
leaf—tier. * * * In the. 1928-29 season, the one in which the celery 
leaf—tier was most abundant since this investigation was begun, th®s in- 
sect in larval, pupal, and adult stages made up almost 18 per cent of the 
birds' food for the season. The statement is based upon the examination 
of 34 stomachs. One stomach taken March 25, 1929, contained 31 larvae 
and 78 pupae of the celery leaf-tier." Mr. Stoner also says that "other 
major insect pests of celery such as cutworms (Noctuidae), plant lice 
(Aphiidae), the celery looper (Autographa falcifera Kirby), and the garden 
fleahopper (Halticus citri Ashm.) constitute a prominent part of the food 
of these as well as of several additional bird species. As a result, it 
can not be doubted that birds take a very prominent part in curtailing 
not only the numbers of the celery leaf—tier, but also of other insect 
pests of celery in the Sanford district." 
An experiment to determine the effects of time of planting on the 
infestation of lima bean pods by the pod borer (Etiella zinckenella 
Treit.) has been completed at Ventura, Calif. Rodney Cecil states that 
the percentages of wormy pods of Baby Limas and Big Limas, respectively, 
planted on May 15 were 5.01 and 3.94; planted on June 5, 8.36 and 39.63; 
and planted on July 7, 58.35 and 91.42. 
Reporting on the status of the tachinid parasite Paradexodes epi- 
lachnae Ald., parasitic on the Mexican bean beetle, Neale F. Howard, Col- 
umbus, Ohio, says: "The recovery of the tachinid fly at Columbus and 
