The Use of Keys in Teaching Biological Classification

Patagonia would doubtlessly prove thrilling to the biologist if he were only there. When far-distant lands are put out of reach, what can be better than to emphasize the biology of our own immediate locality and that is much more practical for our students. Two fields of interest are brought to our high school and college classes. Some of our students desire a knowledge of biology to use in a professional way. Very often a much larger percentage of the enrollment will never enter any purely biological vocation, hut all may acquire an interest in the common plants and animals that will enrich their entire lives

Some Biological Contributions to Recreation (Address of the President)

To my memory comes the scene of a little group of college students nearing the end of a long morning tramp through the tall dew wet grass of early spring. We were out on a bird trip and had gone several miles through the woods. The physical condition of the little company would not be expected to inspire enthusiasm. As we reached the city park and found still more warblers breakfast gathering in the trees, one of the young women cried out with an exultation never to be forgotten, Oh! I know I shall enjoy this all my life

The 1929 Distribution of White Grubs in Iowa

The farmcrops of Iowa pay a heavy toll annually to insects. While many species figure in this loss to the farmers, a comparatively small number of species are responsible for a very large percentage of the total destruction. White grubs, the larval form of the May beetle, find place among these most destructive forms and if taken over a considerable period of years should likely be ranked most expensive of all

The 1921 Outbreak of the Clover-Leaf Weevil in Iowa

Early in the spring of 1921 it became apparent that many clover meadows were suffering severely from some trouble. The entire stand was killed in an occasional field while in others patches throughout the fields were killed or the plants were very much stunted. At first it was thought by many to be winter-killing but it was soon found to be insect injury due to the work of the Clover-leaf Weevil, Hypera punctata Fab., and one or more species of cut worms. It was thought in some quarters that the matter was further complicated by the presence of a fungus disease of the roots. As far as the writer observed this root injury seems to have been an infection naturally following the insect damage

A Preliminary list of the Tetanoceridae of Iowa

The family of Diptera known as Tetanoceridae or Marsh Flies includes medium-sized flies, most species of which may be readily recognized by the shape of the head. It is fully as broad as the thorax, quite short, and has a retreating chin which gives a characteristic profile. The adults frequent ponds, streams, marshes, and other moist places. The larvae are aquatic. The family is a small one and but remotely economic. The Iowa Insect Survey has been giving especial attention to this family for several seasons. A total of 21 species are known to occur in Iowa. This number will likely be more than doubled as further work is done with the group

Recent Army Worm and Variegated Cutworm Outbreaks in Iowa

The 1919 and 1920 outbreaks of Army worms within our state were by no means new experiences for Iowa. Previous heavy losses from this pest, however, date back so many years that the younger generation of farmers knew them only by tradition. With older men, the memories of their experiences seem to have been somewhat confused so that many stories were related that were but in part in keeping with the history and habits of the Army worm. With all classes there seemed to be an unwarranted fear of the insect and exaggerated ideas of its ability to travel, reproduce and defy the efforts of man to control it

Some Proboscidian Remains Found in Henry County

Rather frequent discoveries of the remains of at least two species of the extinct elephant-like animals which inhabited this continent during the Pleistocene have been made in Henry County. These specimens have been found in several parts of the county, and have usually been limited to tusks and teeth. A number of bones have been found but in most cases in such condition as to make identification difficult. At least two of these finds are sufficiently noteworthy to deserve some permanent record

A Preliminary Survey of May Beetles in Iowa

Few insects within our state are of greater economic importance than are the May beetles which in their larval stage as white grubs are serious pests to many growing crops. A normal loss is sustained from them throughout the state each year. The life cycle of at least the most destructive species seems to cover a period of three years and since one brood greatly exceeds the other two in abundance the years of 1921 and 1924 were times when the farmers paid heavy toll to these enemies of grasses, cereals and cultivated crops. This Brood A which was responsible for the heavy loss of the times mentioned, for years, confined its region of heavy infestation to the northeastern corner of the state but in 1921 moved south along the Mississippi river to the southern boundary of the state. The 1924 appearance showed Brood A holding their old territory and spreading to the west in the southern half of Iowa

A Progress Report of a Survey of the Insects of Iowa

Considerably more than one half of all the known species of living things are insects. These make vital contact with man at every angle of his living. Crops are raised, possessions of many kinds are kept, health of man and beast is maintained and many other activities made successful only after a combat with insect enemies. A knowledge of the insect life of a region is highly desirable not only for its economic relationships, but because of still greater value as a pure science problem. Since Iowa stands at the focus of a great mid-west faunal region, a knowledge of its insect population, would be of value to the surrounding states in addition to its large worth at home. These reasons as well as the value of such an undertaking for a department project led us, some years ago to begin work on a geographic and seasonal distribution survey of the insects of Iowa. The project presents problems of collecting, identifications, and housing and arrangement of specimens and records

A Tree Census of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa

During the winter of 1924-25 it was undertaken to count the trees within the city limits of Mt. Pleasant. The work was done by students of the department of Biology of Iowa Wesleyan College, who were trained in accurate tree identification before the work was begun. All trees over four inches in diameter at breast height were counted. The accuracy of the identification and count was safeguarded in every way possible