fly is very common in southern California where it is a serious pest to cattle, and Professor Doane writes that he has found the larvæ breeding very commonly in cow manure around dairy barns in the vicinity of Stanford University. Herms mentions it as a household insect in California Colorado. Bishopp quotes from Prof. Gillette the statement that this species is possibly the worst pest of livestock in Colorado on account of its being so abundant and ever present. Professor Cockerell writes that it is abundant at Boulder, Colo. and that one of his students, Mr. Tucker, found it at Tabernash. District of Columbia.-Howard 3 who has studied this insect rather extensively in Washington, D. C., refers to its abundance there in late summer. Connecticut. The stable fly is widely distributed throughout Connecticut, apparently in about the same abundance as has been observed in Massachusetts. The writer has seen it especially abundant along the Connecticut Valley in late summer. Florida. The writer has seen the stable fly in the northeastern part of Florida, but it does not appear to be nearly so common there as in the northern states. Johnson records it from St. Augustine and Lake Worth, and Bishopp states that investigations made in Central Florida indicate that it is seldom of importance as a pest in that section. Georgia. According to Bishopp the stable fly is a pest of more or less importance in the grain belt of this state every year. Mr. C. W. Johnson also informs me that he has specimens in his collection, collected by Pilate at Tifton, Ga. Illinois. The stable fly is abundant about Chicago and many parts of northern Illinois. according to the experience of the writer. Prof. A. D. MacGillivray, in a letter, has offered the following note concerning its occurrence in the northern central portion of the state near Urbana: “In the two years that I have been here, this insect has been quite abundant. The flies come into the laboratory and bite us on the shins so as to almost drive us out in the afternoons. Last September there was a great reduction in the amount of milk produced in this region, and the dairies all reported a great abundance of flies, which of course meant the stable fly." 1 Bull. Agric. Expt. Sta., California, No. 215, p. 517 (1911). * Journ. Econ. Entom., Vol. 6, p. 115 (1913). Proc. Washington Acad. Sci., II, p. 578 -579 (1900). • Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philadelphia, p. 335 (1895.) Journ. Econ. Entom., Vol. 6, p. 115 (1913). Prof. H. A. Surface also writes that he has seen this insect abundant in Illinois. Iowa.-Prof. H. F. Wickham writes: "About the distribution of Stomoxys calcitrans, I have no formal notes, but it is very common here, though perhaps less so than during my boyhood when little care was taken in the disposition of refuse." Prof. O. A. Johannsen has also observed it personally at State Center, Iowa. Kansas. Bishopp refers to this species as a pest of more or less importance every year in the grain belt of this state. Kentucky.-Garman speaks of Stomorys calcitrans as extremely abundant at St. Vincent, Ky., during August, 1895, and observed the flies very commonly at Lexington, Ky., as late as October 20. 1890, sunning themselves in great numbers on the sides of buildings. Maine.-Prof. O. A. Johannsen writes that the stable fly occurs at Orono. Me., where he has observed it personally. Maryland. Mr. S. N. Cory has kindly furnished the following notes on the occurrence of the stable fly in Maryland: "It is abundant in this state where we have bred it from horse- and hog-manure. In 1908 it was the species most abundantly bred out in the insectary from this material collected late in the fall. Massachusetts.- Extensive observations, particularly in the eastern portion of the state have revealed an abundance and seasonal distribution similar to that which exists in most of our other northern states. The adults do not appear in noticeable numbers until the early part of June. They are then to be seen very generally in localities where there are many domestic animals, but not in sufficient numbers to annoy cattle or horses to any extent. At this time also they are much more local in occurrence, for they do not appear to wander far from barns, stables and pastured animals. In another month they have increased greatly in numbers and begin to appear quite generally in places quite removed from such animals, while horses and cattle are considerably annoyed by them. During August there is a still greater increase in their numbers, and it is during this month that animals are most severely bitten by them. At this time they can be seen in abundance almost anywhere, although as before they are most numerous in places where they can find large animals upon which to feed. During September they are scarcely less abundant, until the latter part of the month when they become much less active and are to be seen almost entirely on fences and walls, 1 Journ Econ Entom, Vol. 6, p 115 1913). Ann Rept Kentucky Agrie Expt Sta Sth for 1895, p. 1 (1896). particularly if these are constructed of wood and painted. Even in the summer they are attracted to such warm surfaces in the full glare of the sun except during the middle of the hottest days; they then migrate to places illuminated by more slanting sunshine. In this way during a single day they will successively congregate upon such portions of a barn as present the desired warmth and sunshine. By October the activity of the flies is much diminished, and on cool mornings they remain in a dormant condition. However, as soon as the air becomes warmer, later in the day, they again become active, and at this time of the year almost replace the house fly which has decreased greatly in numbers. Even after a severe frost, they do not disappear entirely if the weather again becomes warm. In warmed stables they persist in greatly decreased numbers throughout the winter in a semi-active state, and stable-men recall having been bitten by them when sitting about heated stable stoves in the dead of winter. There are a number of published references to the occurrence of the stable fly in Massachusetts, but they do not add materially to the above statement. It is interesting to note, however, that Harris 1 as early as 1842 speaks of cattle and horses being much tormented by the bites of these insects. Michigan.-Prof. R. H. Pettit informs me in a letter that the stable fly is common throughout southern Michigan and that he has seen them extremely abundant in the northern part of the state a short distance from Mackinaw. Minnesota. Washburn in his Diptera of Minnesota says that the stable fly is found in large numbers about stables in Minnesota. Professor Washburn has also been so good as to inform me by letter that his observations would indicate that the species is quite common in the neighborhood of all the towns over the state. Missouri. Mr. Leonard Haseman writes from Columbia, Mo., that he has never seen the stable fly so abundant in any part of the United States where he has been, as it is in Missouri. He says that it is a great scourge of live stock and aside from the house fly and the horn fly, the most abundant fly breeding in horse-manure in the region. about Columbia. Mississippi. Bishopp states that the stable fly occurs commonly in Mississippi and sometimes becomes a considerable pest of live stock. Montana. Mr. William M. Mann tells me that the stable fly is a common insect in Montana. Insects Injurious to Vegetation, p. 412. Tenth Ann. Rept. Entom. Minnesota, p. 148 (1905–). 1 Nebraska. Bishopp refers to this species as a pest of more or less importance every year in the grain belt of this state. New Hampshire.-Prof. W. C. O'Kane writes that he has specimens of the stable fly from Pelham, N. H., but that the species has not been reported by correspondents throughout the state during recent years. The writer found the species very abundant at Wilton, N. H., on a visit there during the summer of 1911. New Jersey. Howard quotes Dr. John B. Smith as having mentioned the abundance of this species in his house in New Brunswick, where he had noticed their increase in numbers during the late summer and fall, till by November 1st they had almost replaced the hous fly at that place. In his Insects of New Jersey it is referred to as "common throughout the state; a great pest of cattle" (Edit. 1890, p. 392; id. 1900, p. 679; ibid. 1910, p. 788). New Mexico.-Prof. T. D. A. Cockerell writes that he found the stable fly abundant at Las Vegas, N. M., in 1900 01, and that he found it also at Pecos on the upper Pecos River and at Roswell. New York. As early as 1849 Fitch speaks of the stable fly as most tormenting, especially to horses in New York state. Prof. O. A. Johannsen writes that he has observed it at Ithaca, N. Y., and the writer has observed it commonly in the environs of New York city. Felt also records it from New York without specific localities saying "that it may be rather abundant about houses in the fall." Ohio. Prof. J. S. Hine writes that he has observed this species in every part of Ohio in which he has been and Prof. H. A. Surface has seen it "abundant in the southeastern part of Ohio." North Carolina.- Mr. Z. P. Metcalf writes that he has specimens of the stable fly from Raleigh, Beaufort and Southern Pines, and that he is sure of having observed it in other parts of the state as well. Oregon. Howard & mentions the appearance of extraordinary numbers of the stable fly near Salem, Ore., in 1888, and Prof. J. M Aldrich writes me that he has this species in his collection from Corvallis, Ore. Pennsylvania. Prof. H. A. Surface writes that the stable fly is generally distributed throughout Pennsylvania, and says that he is not aware that there is any part of the state in which it does not occur. Rhode Island.-Mr. C. W. Johnson has specimens from Kingston, R. I., and the species is evidently equally abundant in Rhode Island as in the adjoining states. South Carolina.-Bishopp1 states that the stable fly occurs commonly in South Carolina and sometimes becomes a considerable pest of live stock. South Dakota.-According to Bishopp statements by farmers in South Dakota indicate that the stable fly is sufficiently abundant there to become a live-stock pest. Prof. J. M. Aldrich writes that he has specimens in his collection from Brookings and Custer, S. D., and that he has observed it as troublesome to horses in South Dakota. Texas. Very recently Bishopp 2 has referred to the great abundance of the stable fly in northern Texas during the summer of 1912 and to its prevalence in the same region every year. In the south central portion of the state, the present writer found the species always rather commonly, but not in excessive outbreaks during several years of residence there. It is undoubtedly very widely distributed in Texas and an extremely important pest of live stock in most if not all parts. of the state. Bishopp (1. c.) also says that this species was reported as extremely abundant in north central Texas as early as 1867, and that later outbreaks occurred in 1894 or 1895 and in 1905. Pratt records the species as very abundant in and about stables at Dallas, Tex., but as not breeding commonly in cow-manure according to his observations. Virginia. Howard has found this species commonly in northern Virginia, and mentions its occurrence in out-of-door privies in this region. West Virginia.--Howard 5 refers to the occurrence of adult stable flies in out-of-door privies at Charleston, W. Va. Wisconsin.-Carlyle records Stomoxys calcitrans as being very common and as constantly worrying stock, particularly cattle in the "Northwest." The writer has observed it in numbers in southeastern. Proc. Washington Acad. Sci., II, p. 579 (1900). • Proc. Washington Acad. Sci., II, p. 579 (1900) Ann. Rept. Wisconsin Agric. Expt. Sta. for 1889 (16th), p. 92 (1899). |