25
NOTES ON COTTON INSECTS FOUND IN MISSISSIPPI.
By William H. Ashmead.
Towards the latter part of July, 1893, I was instructed to proceed to Utica, Hinds county. Miss., to make some special studies on the boll- worm (Heliothls armiger Hiibn.), I reached ray destination on July 23 and left August 23, my stay there extending over a period of just one month. During this brief period, as time permitted, studies were made on such other cotton insects as were brought under my observation, and I find now that many of these have never before been reported on cotton, while still others, especially among the parasitic forms, prove to be new to science. Inasmuch as many of these are not only of scientific interest but of economic importance, it seems to me desirable that all should be placed on record, together with such brief notes on rearings and habits as have been made, for the assistance and guidance of other workers. As the most satisfactory method of presenting these brief notes, I propose to arrange the insects observed in consecutive order under the different Orders to which they belong. ORDER ORTHOPTERA.
The Carolina Mantis or rear-hoTse {Stagmomantis Carolina Burm.).— The nymph of this striking insect was alone met with, the mature insect not having put in its appearance. Its old egg-cases were found twice. Three or four species of the genus Gryllus were common in the cotton fields. They probably feed occasionally on cotton, but no direct observa- tions were made on their habits. The minute three-toed cricket {Tridactylus minutiis Scudd.) was quite common in the cotton fields and was observed feeding on the tender, newly-formed leaves. Its preference is for low, damp situations, and it was rarely met with in high, dry places. The banded cricket [JSfemobius fasciatus DeG.)—Not rare. Feeds occasionally on the tender leaves. The agitating cricket [Hapithus agitator Uhler).—A single specimen only taken, hiding in a blossom. The petals had a hole eaten through them, possibly by it, but it was not observed feeding. The beautiful leaf-palpus cricket {Phi/Uopalpus pulchellus Uhler) was not uncommon in the blossoms of cotton planted on low land, con- tiguous to a swamp or running stream. It was observed feeding upon the petals, corolla, and pollen. Gundlach's cricket {Cyrtoxipha gundlacU Sauss.).—A single speci- men taken in a cotton blossom. It was not observed feeding. The banded tree-cricket {CEcanthus fasciatus Fitch).—This species is not uncommon, and feeds upon the leaves. It is readily distinguished from (E. niveus and allied species by having along, straight black line, 26 and a short, more or less curved line, on basal Joint of antennte, and two short black lines on tlie second joint, tbe outer being the shorter. The eggs are deposited in double rows in long slits made by the ovi- positor of the fenuile, in the smaller lateral branches or the leaf-petioles of the cotton. Each egg is very elongate, 3""" long, or over five times as long as thick, perfectly white, and with a granulated cap at the top or outer end. The duration of the egg stage is from four to five days, although it may be even shorter, as apparently fresh specimens taken in the petiole of a leaf on August 3 hatched August 6. Other speci- mens taken August 5 hatched August 0. The cone-headed locust {Conocephalus obtusus Burm.). —Only occa- sionally met with on cotton. It feeds on the leaves, eating large pieces out of the sides and gnawing holes through the middle. Two nymphs of another species, or belonging to another genus, were also taken feeding on the leaves. This species has an acute tubercle on the forehead and white rings on the antennne. The long-tailed cotton locust {OrcheUmum gossypil Scudd.).—This species is in the National Museum labeled 0. longicauda Walsh, but so far as I can find was never described by him. Mr. Samuel H. Scudder in "Entomological Notes" (pt. lY, p. 64) described it under the name 0. gossypii, and says: "This is the insect referred to in the Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History
(vol. XI, 1^. 434) as laying its eggs in the stems of the cotton plant. The eggs were pale yellow, one-fifth of an inch long, cylindrical, bluntly pointed, and a little tapering at the end from which the larva emerges; the other extremity was rounded." I found the species common, feeding iu the blossoms, eating the corolla and petals, and preventing the formation of the boll. The species is very voracious, and a single specimen must destroy many bolls before attaining full growth. Two other species with similar habits, 0. glaberrimum Burm. and 0. fasciatum Scudd., were observed. The red-legged locust {Melanoplus femur-rubrum DeG.).—Taken in both nymph and imago state, feeding on the leaves. The obscure grasshopper {Acridium ohscurum Burm.).—Very com- mon. Feeds in the nymph stage upon the leaves, and sometimes almost entirely defoliated some of the branches. In destructiveness it comes next to the long-tailed cotton locust. The rugose grasshopper (iZ^/p;>/sc?/s rtigosus Scudd.) —Although plen- tiful in all the fields, this species was only occasionally seen feeding on cotton leaves. In the family Tettigidse five distinct species were taken on cotton, as follows: Batrichidea cHstata Scudd.; Tettigidea lateralis Say; Tettix ornatus Say; T.femoratiis Scudd.; and T. arenosus Burm. : ;
27
ORDER THYSANOPTERA.
Three distinct species of Thripidie were taken on cotton. Two spe- cies, the wheat Thrips {Thrips trltici Fitch) and the apple Thrips
{Phlceothrips mali Fitch) were talvcn in the blossoms, puncturing tlie stamens and corolla, but no serious injury seemed to follow their attack. The other species is apparently predaceous and was observed feed- ing on the cotton Aleyrodes {A. gossi/pii). It is apparently undescribed, and may be characterized as follows
Thrips trifasciatus u. sp. ra'". / The larviie of the lacewing flies are predaceous, feeding upon aph- ides, mites, minute caterpillars, and the eggs and larva? of other insects. They are commonly called ai)his lions. In the family Hemerobiid.T; only a single species was discovered feed- ing on the cotton aphis {Aphis gossypii Glover). A full-grown larva was taken July 128, while it was feeding upon aphides. The following description was made: Body long and slender; abdomen gradually tapering to a point at the apex, and measuring 8 '"'" in length; head small, with long curved pointed mandibles, medium sized eyes and two autenn;e extending to the middle thoracic segment; first tho- racic segment much longer than wide and only about half the width of the second and third, the latter segments being the widest of all, and each with a large whitish spot at the sides; abdomen much longer than the head and thorax uniti^d, gradually produced into a point posteriorly and composed of 9 segments. During the night it spun an extremely loosely woven cocoon, of the finest silk, G "'" long by 3 ""'" in width, in which it transformed into a pupa, the pupa being whitish in color, scarcely 4 """ long, and plainly discernible through the meshes of the cocoon. On August 4 the imago appeared, being just six days in the pupa state. It is apparently the insect described by Walker from Georgia (Brit. Mus. Cat. Neuropt., p. 286) under the name Remerohius humuli Linn. but as Hagen believes it to be distinct, and two species having the same specific name can not be retained, the specific name for this spe- cies may be changed to gossypii and it may be known in future as the cotton lacewing fly {Remerobius gossypii). No less than five distinct species of the beneficial Chrysopid?e were taken on the cotton, the larvte of which feed on the cotton aphis, the eggs of various insects, and minute caterpillars. The larva of one spe- cies was seen eagerly seizing and sucking dry a minute lepidopterous 28 leaf-miner, anotlior the nympli of a small tree-hopper, while in confine- ment nearly all the species will attack voraciously almost any small insect they can seize with their curved jaws. As no effort seems to have been made previously to identify the spe- cies of these important predaceous insects found ou cotton, I give below the results of my work in this direction, believing it just as important to know the names of those insects beneficial to us as it is to know those which are noxious or injuriims. The eggs of all these species are laid in clusters on either the upper or lower side of a leaf, suspended on delicate threads, and might easily be mistaken for the spores of some fungi. All appear very much alike, and scarcely any specific difference can be detected between the eggs of the different species. Chrysopa oculata Say) is known at once by having The eyed lacewing ( a black ring on the second joint of the antenna:^, black antennal sockets, a broad black line below the eye, four black spots ou vertex, and by the prothorax having three black points on each side. The white-horned hicevfin^ {Chrysopa alhicornis Fitch) agrees very closely with the previous species, but the first joint of the antennae is annulated with sanguineous, the four spots on the crown conjoined and forming two black bands, while the prothorax has only one black point at the sides anteriorly. The black-horned lacewing {Chrysopa nigricornis Burm.) resembles somewhat the preceding, but with the head without black marks or lines, except one on each side of the clypeus and sometimes a line or spot beneath the eye ; the first and second joint of the antenme are pale, not annulated with black or sanguineous, the flagellum being black at basal one-third, while the prothorax usually has a black point at the anterior angle, although sometimes wanting. The stripe-horned V^cewiug {Chryso^ia lineaticornis Fitch) is closely related to C. nkfricornis Burm., but has the basal joint of antennae with a black or dusky line above, the prothorax with a fuscous line along the sides, while the head is spotted with fuscous anteriorly. The slender lacewing {Chrysopa attemiata Walk.) is a pale greenish- yellow species and the form most commonly met with on cotton, all the veins of the wings being pale green, more rarely with some of the veins obscured or dusky, the head with a sanguineous line below the eyes and with the palpi varied with fuscous or black. ORDER PLATYPTERA. The insects belonging to the family Psocid.i} are more or less social in their habits, especially at the approach of cold weather, and when immature resemble the biting lice or Mallophaga. They are scaven- gers, feeding upon decomposing animal and vegetable matter and upon fungi. 29 Ccecilins mobilis Hagen.—A single siiecimeu agreeing perfectly with tlie brief but imperfect description of Dr. Hagen was taken on the under surface of a cotton leaf August 5. A second species belonging to another genus is apparently unde- scribed, and for this I have proposed the name Psocus gossypii. It is characterized as follows: Psocus gossypii n. sp. 6"""' 10.5°*"'. Female. —Leugth to tip of wings, ; expanse of wings, Rust-brown; ocelli, palpi, and antennae except two basal joints, black; abdomen, except toward base above, blackisli-fuscous; apical margin of the scutellum and legs (except the tibiai and tarsi, which are fuscous or blackish), yellowish; wings, fuliginous, the large triangular pterostigma and the venation (except of the median nervure and its fork, the claval veins bahally, the short vein along the hind margin just beyond the apex of the clavus, and the vein joining the hind fork of the mediannervure and forming the posterior side of the closed quadrate discoidal cell, which are yellow- ish,) black. This species belongs in the section with P. venosus Burm. and super- ficially resembles it; but it is relatively smaller (although specimens of P. venosus are occasionally fouud as small), the color is paler without the brassy tinge on the head, while the pterostigma is black, not yellow. (To be continued.) ON A LECANIUM INFESTING BLACKBERRY, CONSIDERED IDEN- TICAL WITH L. FITCHII, SIGN. By T. D. A. CocKERELL, Las Cruces, N. Mex. In the year 1801 (or 1804 !) Schrank described a scale found on Rubus in Europe, naming it Coccus riibi. Signoret, when writing his '' Essai," recognized that this was a Lecanium, but beyond this he could say nothing very definite, as Schrank's description was extremely short, and the insect had not been seen by him. Lichteustein, however, in 1882, i)roposed a new genus Tetrura, its type being T. rubi, which he supposed to be the Coccus rubi Schrank. But his insect was a form allied to Dactylopius and therefore not that of Schrank, which still remained unknown to modern authors. Fortunately, in May, 1891, Dr. T. A. Chapman rediscovered Lecanium rubi (Schr.) in England, and in June of the same year the species was also found by Mr. J. W. Douglas. The latter gave an extended descrip- tion of it, with figures by Mr. a^ewstead, in the Entomologist's Monthly Magazine (1892, pp. 105-107). Coming now to this country, we find in Signoret's work a description of Lecanium Jitchii, which was found on bramble by Asa Fitch. The latter had labeled it L. rubi, but Signoret observed that it did not seem to be the same as that of Schrank, and accordingly proposed the name L. Jitchii. 3013—Xo. 1 3 : ; 241 The liabits of the different species in the family Sphecidae are varied some preying upon spiders; others on cricliets, locusts, grasshoppers, cockroaches, etc., while still others prey upon cut-worms or other lepi- dopterous larvae. A large black digger-wasp belonging to the genus Sphex was observed carrying off a specimen of the cotton locust, Ore lie limnm gossypii. The blue digger-wasp (Chlorion coeruleum Dr.) is a common species in all cotton fields and preys upon different species of crickets belonging to the genus Gryllus. The blue mud-dauber {Ghalyhion, coeruleum Linn.) was also common. I examined several nests built on the rafters of a cotton-gin shed and found they were almost entirely filled with the large green spider, Oxijopes viridans, so common on cotton. The common mud-dauber {Felopa'us cementariiis Dr.) was quite plen- tifnl in the cotton fields, busily engaged in catching different spiders. From one of its nests I obtained no less than thirteen distinct si)ecies of spiders, although the most common of these was the Oxyopes viridans The Philadelphia digger-wasp {Isodontia pMladelphica St. Farg.), although by no means common, was occasionally seen on cotton. It preys upon the cricket, (Ecanthus fasciatus Fitch. Ammophila pictipennis Walsh, A. vulgaris Or., and A. gryphus Smith were also frequently met with in cotton fields, and I feel satisfied all prey on different lepidopterous larvte found on the cotton. In the family Pompilidte four sjiecies were common, viz., PompUus pltUadelpMca St. Farg., P. americanus Beauv., P. tropicus Linn., and r. (vtliiope Cr. All are predaceous on spiders. The services performed by the species belonging to the family of paper-making wasps, or Vespidte, to the farmer, fruitgrower, and planter have never been thoroughly appreciated, and I am astonished to find so little in our literature concerning them. In many cases the services performed by these wasps are much more valuable than those of the true parasitic Hymenoptera, the ichneumon -flies, chalcis-flies, etc., and almost any one with a little observation of his own can readily substantiate this fact. The food of the young wasps is composed almost entirely of chewed- up caterpillars and other destructive insects, and supplied to them by either the worker or female wasp. The following species were observed in the cotton fields The large-ringed wasj) {PoUstes annularis Linn.). This is one of the largest species in oar fauna, and is common in the whole cotton belt. On August 14 I saw one of these large wasps seize a small-sized cotton worm, fly off with it to a neighboring bush, and then deliberately chew it up into small fragments, after which it flew away to its nest. The Canadian wasp {PoUstes canadensis Linn.). A smaller species than the preceding, but bearing a slight resemblance to it, was also observed chewing up a caterpillar, but the name of the caterpillar was not ascertained. : 242 The valorous wasp {Polistes heUicosa Cr.). This species builds its iiests in the old worm-fences inclosing cotton and corn fields. Many specimens were observed carrying off small rounded white particles, composed evidently of the chewed-up fragments of some larva. The potter- wasps of the family Eumenidne build cells formed of clay, or clay and sand mixed, attached to twigs or leaves, or occupy the old deserted cells of other wasps and bees. These they fill usually with lei>idopterous or coleopterous larvte, which they first paralyze with their powerful sting, for the subsistence of their young. Three species were not uncommon flying about the cotton : The four- toothed potter wasp (Monobia quadridens Linn.) was frequently seen to carry off cutworms, and probably jjreys upon the cotton worm and boll- worm. Odynerus confonnis Sauss. and O.fidvipes Sauss. Avere also cap- tured preying upon small lepidopterous larvic. There can be no longer any doubt of the important role played by many species of ants in the destruction of some of our more injurious insects, and while it is doubtful whether all of the species recorded below will attack and destroy large and vigorous caterpillars, most of them do, however, destroy those which are diseased or injured, as well as immense numbers of fresh pupai and eggs. The species taken and observed by me were as follows The Pennsylvania wood ant {Camponotus pennsylvanicus DeG.). Observed only on low damp places contiguous to a wood, and never found in the middle of the fields or on high dry soil far away from timber. It is doubtful whether it ever attacks caterpillars. chestnut-colored ant castaneus Latr.). Occasionally The ( Camponotus seen with* the former, but no observations on its habits were made. The honey-yellow ant Camponotus melleus Say.). Common in several ( fields, the formicaries being built in the ground, but although common on the cotton, running up and down the stems and over the leaves, I never discovered upon what it fed. The coal-black ant {Monomorium carbonarium Smith). Twice observed feeding upon the pupa of the cotton worm and once on the boll worm. I first observed these ants August 11 destroying an Aletia pupa which had webbed up on a leaf of the cocklebur. It was fairly covered with from 40 to 50 individuals, and I have no reason to believe the chrysalis was injured before the ants attacked it. The grooved-faced ant {Solenopsis geminata Fabr.). August 3 I took numerous specimens feeding on the pupa of a boll worm, and August 14 it was observed destroying the eggs of this same moth. Only three species belonging to the family Proctotrypidiie were taken, viz., Goniozus platynotce Ashm., a parasite on the cotton leaf-roller, Platynota sentana; Ceraphron sp., and Anopedias sp. The last two are probably parasitic on some cecidomyiid larva found on cotton. A small black cynipid belonging to the genus Hexaplasta and closely allied to H. zigzag Riley, a common parasite on Phora aletice Comst., : 243 was not uucoiumon on the leaves. It is smaller than H. zigzag^ with yellow legs and otherwise different in the relative length of the antennal joints. In the family Bracouidiie the little cotton-aphis parasite Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cr. was quite plentiful and fairly cleaned the leaves of this troublesome plant-louse. It was reared several times during July and August, and between this parasite, the larvte of syrphid flies, golden- eye flies, and the Coccinellidae, the aphis was having a terrible struggle for existence. Besides the above species three other bracouids were captured on cotton which are evidently associated with some injurious insects found thereon, viz., Iphiaulajc triangularis Ashm., Chelorms teranus Cr., and Microdus sanctus Say. The following species of Ichneumonidae are apparently new Zachresta dimidiata sp. n. "^"\ 9 . —Length, 6.5 Opaciue black, thickly and closely punctate, covered with a whitish pubescence; scape aud pedicel, mandibles, except teeth, palpi, teguhe, anterior and middle cox;© and trochanters, white; flagellnm brown; legs, reddish- yellow, the hind coxie black, the hiud tibiaj at base and apex and their tarsi, fus- cous; abdomen from apical margin of second segment rufous, the base black. The clypeus is not separated, wings hyaline, the veins dark fuscous, the areolet sessile; metathorax areolated the spiracles ovate; claws pectinate ; ovipositor very short, the sheaths black. On cotton, Utica, Miss. Described from I 9 specimen. Limneria miasissippiensis sp. n. 9. —Length, 6 ™". Black, subopaque, closely punctate; abdomen, except the first and second segment and a blotch at base of third, rufous; scape and mandibles reddish-yellow; palpi white; legs, except hind coxte, ferruginous, the tarsi and a spot at base aud apex of hind tibi;e subfuscous; teguhe aud cost;B toward base, white; wings subfuscous, the venation brown, the areolet petiolate; ovipositor about one-fourth the length of abdomen. Taken on cotton at Utica, Miss. Described from 1 9 sj)ecimen. Lymeon annulicornis sp. n. 9. —Length, 6.5 '"'".; ovipositor a little over 1 mm. Black; antennfe black, ful. vous at tips, with apex of joint 6 and joints 7 to 12, white; face, clypeus, orbits above and below, mandibles, palpi, i>ropectus, sides of collar, a band on the inner margins of the lateral mesothoracic lobes, a line on the axillar ridge, sciitellum, teg- ul?e and a spot beneath, a spot beneath insertion of hind-wings, the posterior half of the mesosternum connected with a long broad baud on middle of mesopleura, metepisterna, metapleura, a large band including the acute prominent angles of the metathorax, base aud apex of petiole, broad band at apex of second abdominal seg- ment, a narrow transverse baud ou middle of the third segment, and the apex of the fourth, fifth, and seventh segments, all white, or yellowish-white; legs, reddish-yel- low, the anterior and middle coxse and trochanters, white; wings hyaline, the stigma and venation, dark brown, the areolet open exteriorly. Taken ou cotton at Utica, Miss. Described from 1 9 specimen. Otacustes chrysopae sp.n. Male. —Length 3.2 """. Black, opaque, finely punctulate, sericeous, the pubes- cence on face glittering white; cheeks, scutellum and mesopleura smooth, snining; clypeus anteriorly, mandibles, two basal joints of antenuiB, and legs, except as here- after noted, ferruginous; palpi, tegulse, anterior cox:© and trochanters, middle 244 trochanters, anniilns at base of lilnd tibi;e, tibial spurs and anniili at base of bind tarsal joints, white; tip of hind femora, their tibiie and tarsi, except already noted, fuscous; llagelluin brown; base of second abdominal segment and apical margins of second and following segments narrowly red. Head transverse, a little wider than the thorax, the clypeus only separated at sides, truncate anteriorly ; antenute 21-jointed, the lirst and second flagellar joints about equal, the following gradually becoming shorter ; thorax subovoid, the sides of collar rugulose, the mesonotum as broad as long, with the parapsidal furrows indi- cated by depressions only anteriorly but not sharply defined ; mesopleura highly polished, sejiarated from the juesopectus by a longitudinal crenate furrow and from the metapleura by a row of coarse punctures; metanoruni sliort, rugulose, rather abruptly truncate behind and distinctly areolated; wings hyaline, the stigma and venation, except a spot at base of stigma and tlie veins toward base of wings which are white, brownish-black ; the radial cell terminates half way between the stigma and tip of wing, while the areolet is large, pentagonal in position, but with the outer nervure wanting; abdomen a little longer than the head and thorax united, black, punctate, with the base of second segment and the apical margins of all the seg- ments, except the first, narrowly red petiole, or first segment, times as long as ; 1| the second, shining, but with coarse although shallow punctures on the dilated portion, smoother toward base; body of abdomen sparsely pubescent, the venter ferruginous with two longitudinal folds. Habitat. —Utica, Miss. Described from 1 $ specimen, bred August 7, 1893, from tlie cocoon, of Chrysopa ocnlata Say. Otacustes atriceps sp. n. ™n\ Female. —Length 3 ; ovipositor 0.8 mm. Brownish yellow; the head, antennae, from third joint, and ovipositor, black ; clypeus, mandibles, and base of antenuiP, fer- ruginous; hind tibitB outwardly toward tips and their tarsi, slightly obscured or dusky. Head transverse, a little wider than thorax, opaque, finely closely punctulate, the cheeks very narrow, polished, the face finely sericeous; clypeus transverse, entirely separated; autennse 25-jointed, the first three joints of flagellum nearly of an equal length, the following gradually shortening; thorax subovoid, about twice as long as wide, the prothorax at sides rugulose ; mesonotum a little wider than long, punctulate, opaque, the parapsidal furrows only slightly indicated by depressions anteriorly; scutellum triangular, smooth, carinate at sides by the extension of the mesothoracic ridges; mesopleura smooth on disk and separated from the meso- sternum by an indistinct longitudinal depressed furrow below its middle, the portion below the furrows slightly aciculated; metathorax short, obliquely truncate poste- riorly and distinctly areolated, the surface of the areas moreor less distinctly rugulose; wings hyaline, the teguhe, a spot at base of stigma and veins toward base of wings, whitish, the stigma and veins otherwise dark fuscous; the radial cell terminates half way between the stigma and tip of wing, the areolet being large and pentagonal, but with the outer nervure wanting; abdomen ovate, petiolate, very little longer than the bead and thorax united, the petiole polished with some punctures toward the sides of the dilated apex, segments two and three finely punctate, the follow- ing smooth, impunctate. Hahitat.— Utica, Miss. Described from 1 2 specimen, bred August 17, 1S93, from the cocoon of Chrysopa ocnlata Say. The family Chalcidid?e is without doubt the most extensive in the order Hymenoptera, and the species composing it are of incalcuhible value to the farmer and fruit-grower iu destroying the more injurious a:: 245 insect pests. Many species, representing many genera, are common on cotton, the liabits of only a few of wliicli are yet known. Below I give a list of those taken by me in Mississippi, describing such of them as were reared Irom cotton insects, in order to complete, as far as possible, the life histories of these insects. The clear-winged perilampid {Perilampus hyalinus Say). One small specimen of this species, measuring only 2""" in length, was bred August 17, 1893, from the cocoon of Chrysopa a^/eMWo/« Walk. Others were seen flying about cotton plants. The species has also been bred from lepidopterous impae. Four species belonging to the EurytorainaB were captured on cotton Eurytoma sp. $ ; Eurytoma sp. $ ; Bruchop'hayus sp. 6 ; and Isosoma sp. S . All, except the last, are true parasites, and their hosts will probably be found to occur on cotton. The ovate Chalcis {Chalcis ovata Say) was not unfrequently met with on cotton. It is parasitic on various lepidopterous larva and aids materially in destroying the cotton worm [Aletia xylina), from which it has been often bred. Antigaster mirahiUs Walsh was captured in the act of ovipositing in the eggs of Q^canthus fasciatus Fitch, a new host for it, while two dis- tinct species belonging to the genus Eupelmus were taken running over cotton leaves. The pleasure I have in announcing the discovery of a new genus in the subfamily Encyrtinse is somewhat marred from the fact that the sj^ecies is parasitic on one of the most beneficial insects we have— chrysopa-fly. It was reared from Chrysopa cocoons on cotton, and for which I propose the name Chrysopophagus. The genus may be readily recognized by the following brief diagnosis Chrysopophagus gen. nov. General habitus of Chiloneuriis Westw., the mesonotum with silvery white hairs. Female. —Head, viewed from iu front, oblong, the eyes obloug-oval, bare, convergent above, the vertex narrowed, the lateral ocelli touching the border of eye, anteuual furrows short but distinct; mandibles ( ?) bideutate; maxillary palpi 3-jointed, the first joint short, the last longer than the first two united; labial palpi 2-jointed; antenn;e 11-jointed, the liagellum compressed and much enlarged toward apex, the pedicel shorter than the first funiclar joint, the joints after the third funiclar joint wider than long. Thorax ovoid, the pronotum lunate, the mesonotum transverse, twice as wide as long, plumbeoiis with silv-ery white hair; the scutellum triangular, with a tuft of erect black bristles at tip ; the axilla; wedge-shaped, their points meet- ing at base of scutellum; wings with the marginal vein A^ery long, fully twice as long as the stigmal vein, or a little longer; the postmarginal slightly shorter than stigmal. Abdomen conic-ovate, with seven distinct segments, the ovipositor only slightly exposed. Male. —Differs from 9 in having the eyes only slightly convergent above; the pedicel only about one-third the length of the first flagellar joint; the joints of the flagellum long, cylindrical, contracted at juncture, with long hairs irregularly arranged and not in half whorls as in Chilonenrus, while the scutellum is bare with- out a tuft of long black bristles. 8359—:NTo 3 3 —; 246 This genus ia intermediate apparently between CliiloiienrKS Westw. and Comys Fiirst. From the former it is dlHtingnished, however, in the 9 by the pedicel being shorter than the tirst funiclar joint, the more dilated and compressed anteunie, and the longer marginal vein ; in the ^ by the longer marginal vein and the. hairs on the antenna- not being arranged in half whorls; from the latter genus it is readily separated in the 9 by its more slender form, a marked difference in the antenna-, the silvery white hairs of the luesonotum, and tlie very long marginal vein in front wings and in the ^ by having no tuft of bristles on the scutellum. Chrysopophagiis compressicornis sp. n. 9 . —Length, 1.6""". Head, scape, mandibles, except teeth, prothorax beneath and at sides, and mesojileura, brownish-yellow; flagellum and maxillary palpi black, or the latter sometimes brown; scutellum orange-red, with a tuft of black bristles; mesonotum plumbeous with silvery white hairs ; front wings, except base, a small transverse sti'eak at tip of postmarginal vein and extreme apex of wing, which are hyaline or whitish, fuliginous; abdomen a^neous-black or submetallic; legs brown- ish-yellow, the apical joint of all tarsi, the middle tibiiu outwardly, and hind femora and tibife, except a white aunulus at base, dark fuscous; hind tarsi white. ^ . —Length, 0.9"'"'. Head, except vertex, scape, flagellum beneath, prothorax at sides and beneath, raesopleura, except upper half, which is metallic, and legs, except middle tarsi and hind femora tibi:e and tarsi, brownish-yellow; middle and hind tarsi and aunulus at base of hind tibise white; hind femora and tibi;e, except the annulus, fuscous; vertex, upper surface of the thorax, and abdomen, metallic green- ish, the scutellum duller. Habitat.—Utica, Miss. Described from 1 S and 5 5 specimens bred August lo, 1803, from tbe cocoons of Chrysopa attennata Walk. ORDER COLEOPTERA. In the United States, cotton is singularly free from the attacks of insects belonging to this order. I do not know of a single beetle that in any sense could be considered a serious enemy of this crop, and, indeed, not a single case that I can recall is mentioned in our literature on the subject. The beetles found on it are, with few exceptions, more or less benellcial, and are attrticted to it in search of their prey usually the eggs, larvie, or imagos of other iusects. During my four Aveeks' stay in Mississippi, out of numy beetles taken on cotton I found only three or four species which fed on it to any extent, and tlie injury done was comparatively slight. The vast majority of those taken were predaceous or pollen-feeders, and should be classified among beneficial species. In the family Cicindelidie three species, Tetracha Carolina L., T. vir- ginicaj and Cicindela 6-punctata, known to be predaceous in both larva and imago stage on the cotton-worm and other insects, were captured in the cotton fields. Several small species of Carabidse were common, the most important being Scarites subterraneus Fab. and Pterosticus permnndus Say. Phalacrus politus Melsh. was taken on cotton leaves, but no observa- tion on its habits was made. 240 was unknown to Signoret. The description of the European Pseu- doeoccHs cescidi of Signoret in some respects more accurately fits our species. We mention these facts to indicate that there is still a doubt; comparison with authentic European specimens can alone settle the question. Remedies.—Should this insect become so abundant as to threaten the health of valuable shade trees at any time, the most eifective remedial work can be done during the winter. It will consist in scraping the bark of the trunk and larger branches and applying some oily insecti- cide. Miss Smith found by practical experience that a wash composed of 3 gallons water, ^ pound white hellebore, and 1 teaspoonful carbolic acid, put on with a white-wash brush during the warm days of winter and early spring, was effectual. Oecurrence of the insect in England.—In The Entomologist's Monthly Magazine (vol. xxvi, p. 153) Mr. J. W. Douglas describes Pseudo- coccus aceris and refers to its first discovery in England 3Iay 24, 1889, in crevices of the bolls of lime trees. Douglas refers to Comstock's and Miss Smith's articles, and notes the discrepancy that the tarsus of the female imago is stated to be only half as loug as the tibia, whereas Sig- noret says the tibia is three times longer than the tarsus. The position of the ovisac on the leaves, instead of on the trunks of the trees, also deviates fi-om the habit of European examples, " but," says Douglas, ''this may not have been the general habit;" a supposition which is not verified by this summer's observations. He also refers to the occurrence of a dipterous larva in the female ovisac. The adult was not reared. NOTES ON COTTON INSECTS FOUND IN MISSISSIPPI. By Wm. H. Ashmead. rContinned from Insect Life, vol. vii, p. 29]. ORDER HYMENOPTERA. Various kinds of bees and wasps are found quite plentifully in the blossoms of cotton and materially aid in pollenization. A long list of names could be furnished, but as no special efibrt was made in this direction, I shall confine myself here to recording my observations on such predaceous and parasitic forms as were brought directly under my notice. Several distinct species of digger-wasps of the family Larridae were observed in the cotton fields, searching eagerly for grasshoppers, crickets, locusts, etc., with which to provision their cells. Among these the most common were Tachytes ohscurus Cr., T.validus On, and Tachy- sphex terminatus Smith. The last was observed twice dragging oft' a small immature cricket {Nemohius sp.). 247 In the family CoccinellidtB Megilla maculata DeG., Hippodamia con- vergens Guer., Coccinella 9-notata Hbst., and C. samjuinea Linn, were common in all stages, feeding upon tbe cotton apbi.s {Aphis gossypii Glover). Chilocorus bivulnerus Muls., Uxochomus marginipennis Lee, and Pentilia auralis Lee, were observed feeding on the cotton Aley- rodes {Aleyrodes gossypii Fitch), while two species of seymnids, Seym- nus caudalis Lee. and *S'. cervicalis Muls., fed on both the cotton a^jhis and the cotton Aleyrodes. The Pennsylvania tire-fly, Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus DeG., and the yellow-margined fire-fly, G. marginatus Fab., were exceedingly abundant in the blossoms, with occasional specimens of Pyropyga miituta Lee. and Photinus marginellus Lee. All these insects are beneficial as pollenizers, and the larvfe of the first two were frequently seen crawling over the ground beneath the cotton plants. In this stage tliey are said to feed on the cotton-worm and other lepidopterous larvte. In the Chrysomelidic I took the following species: Lema G-pnnctata Oliv., Anonuca latidavia Forst., Cryptocephalus ealidus Suffr., Myochrous denticoUis Say, Colaspidia fiavida Say, Nodonota tristis Ol., PhyUech- thrus nignpennis Lee, Diahrotica 12-punctata Ol., I>. rittatd Fab., and Sysfena elongata Fabr. Of these only three may be mentioned as injur- ing the plant. A)iom(ea laticlaria feeds on the leaves, while Colaspidia, flavida and Xodonota tristis gnaw little irregular holes through the outer covering of the blossoms, and fre(|uently gnaw into the epidermis, of the bolls, thus exposing them to the weather and causing them to drop. The Diabroticas were captured in the blossoms feeding on pollen; they evidently breed in neighboring cornfields. One species of Bruchidie was common in cotton blossoms—the four- spotted bean-weevil {Bruchus i-maculatus Fabr.). It would be inter- esting to know whether or not this species lives in cotton seed. The 8-si)otted mordellid {Mordella 8-punctata Fabr.) was often seen in the blossoms, but in the larval state it is said to live in the stems of various i)l;ints. Two species belonging to the family Anthicidte, Xotoxus bicolor Say and Macratria murina Fabr., as well as some weevils belonging to the family Curculionidie, Apion sp., Baris sp., and Ccntrimis jncnmnus Fabr., and a Meloid, Epicaitta strigosa Gyll., were common in cotton blossoms. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ^ "TZ DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. m :— r^! jeptember, 1894, to J-aly, 1895. e INSECT LIFE. A ^ Vol. VII. DEVOTED TO THE ECONOMY AND LIFE HABITS OF INSECTS, ESPECIALLY IN THEIR RELATIONS. TO AGRICULTURE. EDITKD BY L. O. HOW ist, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OP OffHE^'MJ DWISIONAL FORCE. #.2, 1 r HAi (PUBLISHED BY .\UTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.) WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1895.