73 £7 3

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

OF

WASHINGTON

Volume XV 1 1

PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY,

QUARTERLY

BALTIMORE, MD. WASHINGTON, D. C.

1915

BARBER, H. S.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME XVII

Page BANKS. NATHAN: A new species of Stenares ...... 144

A new species of Mycetaulus ....................... 145

Miscellaneous notes .............................. . 146

Migrating armies of myriopods — 121

Fragmentary notes on the life-history of the myriopod, Spirobolus marginatus .............................. 123

Macrosiagon flavipennis in cocoon of Bembex spinolce. . 187 Migrating armies of myriopods (A correction) ....... 189

Descriptions of new North American Microlepidoptera 79 : Rhabdoblalta brunneonigra, a new cockroach from China ............................. 94

Three interesting Orthoptera from the vicinity of Washington, D. C ............................ 189

A. : Xotes on some bees from Virginia .............

: A review of Henriksen's cerambycid larva? in

Danmark's Fauna, Biller III, Traebukke, 1914. . 127 A new species of Secodella ....................... 100

The genus Secodella in Xorth America ............ 14L'

Descriptions of new Ichneumonidse and taxonomic notes ........................................... 132

DEGRYSE, J. J. : Some modifications of the hypopharynx in lepidop-

terous larvae ................................... 173

FISHER, W. S. : One new genus and two new species of Cerambycidae . GAHAN, A. B. : Notes on two parasitic Diptera .............

( IREEXE, C. T. : Capture of Callicera johnsoni Hunter ...............

HALL, M. C. : A note in regard to Trichodecles hermsi .............. 1s''

HEINRICH, C., and DEGRYSE, J. J. : On Acrocercops strigijinilclln

Clemens ................... (>

HOOD, J. DOUGLAS: An interesting case of antennal antigeny in

Thysanoptera ................................ .. 128

Notes on Ipidse with description of a new species. . 54 On possible poisoning of insectivorous birds in the war against the Gipsy Moth ...................

An unusual color in a hornet's nest .................. 148

Annual Address of the President. Some observa- tions on medical entomology ............. 58

A new species of Cephcnomyia from the United

States HYSLOP, J. A.: Notes on the habits and anatomy of

u/ili rii Horn ....................................... 179

BUSCK. AUGUST CAUDELL, A. X

COCKERELL, T. D. CRAIGHEAD, F. C.

CRAWFORD, J. C. : CUSHMA.N, R. A.:

HOPKINS, A. D HOWARD, L. O.

HUNTER, W. D.

i

IV

CONTENTS

Page JENNINGS, ALLAN H.: Two new species of Simulitim from tropical

America 199

KNAB, FREDERICK : Dipterological Miscellany 38

Commensalism in Desmometopa 117

The secretions employed by rhynchophorous

larvae in cocoon-making 154

Dung-bearing weevil larvae 193

KOTINSKY, JACOB : The Bermuda Grass Odonaspis 101

MALLOCH, J. R. : Notes on North American Chloropidae (Diptera) . . . 158

PARKER, H. L. : Pupa of Brachypalmis frontosus 147

PARKER, J. B. : Notes on the nesting habits of some solitary wasps. ... 70 PIERCE, W. D. : The uses of certain weevils and weevil products in

food and medicine 151

PIERCE, W. D., and CUSHMAN, R. A.: A few notes on the habits of

parasitic Hymenoptera 164

ROHWEH, S. A. : Descriptions of Braconidse 55

A remarkable new genus of Cephida? 114

The mating habits of some sawflies 198

Ametastegia glabrata (Fallen), a holarctic sawfly... 198 ROHWER, S. A., GAHAN, A. B., and CUSHMAN, R. A.: Some generic

corrections in the Oph-

ioninae 149

SASSCER, E. R.: Catalogue of recently described Coccida?. V 25

SHANNON*, R. C. : Mosquitoes attacking a frog 99

An eastern Chilosia with hairy eyes 168

Captures of the syrphid fly, Merapioidus villasus

Bigot 147

Eastern Symphoromyia attacking man 188

TOWNSEND, C. H. T. : Note on spallanziinc flies 41

The family cestrophasiideae and other notes .... 53

Revision cf Myiophasia 107

TURNER, W. F., and BAKER, A. C.: On the occurrence of an inter- mediate in Aphis pomi DeGeer. 42

WALTON, W. R. : On the genus Exoristoides Coq 96

A new and interesting genus of North American

Tachinidae 104

A new nocturnal species of Tachinidae 162

The tachinid fly Mauromyia pulla Coq. and its sexual dimorphism 190

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

OF

WASHINGTON

VOLUME XVII, No. 1 MARCH, 1915

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE SOCIETY

OFFICE OF PUBLICATION

2419-21 GREENMOUNT AVE.

BALTIMORE, MD.

EDITORIAL OF. ^

WASHINGTON. D. C.

Entered aa second-class matter at the poatoffice at Baltimore, Md., February 28, 1913. under the Act of August 24, 1912

THE

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

OF WASHINGTON

ORGANIZED MARCH 12, 1884.

The regular meetings of the. Society are held on the first Thursday of each month, from October to June inclusive, at 8 P. M.

Annual dues of active members, $3.00; of corresponding members $2.00; initiation fee (for active members only), $1.00.

OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1915.

President .A. N. CAUDELL

First Vice-President C. R. ELY

Second Vice-President . . .E. R. SASSCER

Recording Secretary — A. B. GAHAN

Corresponding Secretary-Treasurer S. A. ROHWER

U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C.

Editor...... -, J . C . CR AWFORD

Representing the Society as a Vice-President of the

Washington Academy of Sciences W. D. HUNTER

Executive Committee.

THE OFFICERS. E. A. SCHWARZ. A. L. QUAINTANCE. C. L. MARLATT.

PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON.

Published quarterly by the Society at Baltimore, Md., and Wash- ington, D. C. Terms of subscription: Domestic, $2.00 per annum; foreign, $2.25 per annum; single numbers, 50 cents, foreign postage extra. Remittances should be made payable to the Entomological Society of Washington.

Authors of leading articles in the PROCEEDINGS will be entitled to 25 separates of each contribution, free of charge, provided the Editor is noti- fied before page proof is returned. Additional copies may be had at rates fixed by the Society.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

OF WASHINGTON VOL. XVII 1915 No. 1

•

Two HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-EIGHTH MEETING, JUNE 4, 1914.

The 278th regular meeting of the Society was entertained by the bachelor members at the Ssengerbund Hall, June 4, 1914. There were present 20 members and two visitors.

The following paper was presented:

The Temperature of the Honey Bee Cluster as Modified by External Conditions ..Dr. E. F. Phillips1

Under the head of Notes and Exhibition of Specimens, the following were presented:

Note on Rhipidandri — a Correction E. A. Schwarz and H. S. Barber2

CAPTURE OF CALLICERA JOHNSONI HUNTER.

BY C. T. GREENE, Bureau of Entomology.

A female specimen collected at Falls Church, Va., April 22, 1914, by the writer. The specimen was resting on the ground. The altitude at the point of capture is about 350 feet above sea level, the highest point at Falls Church is about 400 feet above sea level.

1 Withdrawn from publication.

2 Published in these Proceedings, vol. xvi, no. 4.

1

2 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL S()( 11.1V

ON POSSIBLE POISONING OF INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS IN THE WAR AGAINST THE GIPSY MOTH.

BY L. O. HOWARD.

The speaker mentioned the fact that the extensive use of arsenate of lead in poisoning woodlands around Boston had given rise to rumors that many insectivorous birds were being killed by the arsenic, either by feeding upon insects that had been killed by the poison or by sucking drops of the spray from the leaves of sprayed trees before the moisture had time to evaporate. He stated that Mr. William Brewster, of Concord, had noticed in the woodlands surrounding his place that several species of birds had disappeared and that he feared it was from this cause. The speaker further stated that he had mentioned this matter on a recent Boston trip to Dr. W. M. Wheeler at the Bussey Institution, and that Dr. Wheeler had stated that in his opinion the insectivorous birds had disappeared for the reason that their insect food had been destroyed and they had simply migrated to regions where their food had not been killed by the poison sprays and was therefore normally abundant. Doctor Wheeler stated that he would send his students after class mate- rial into the regions around the Bussey Institution and that they would return with very few leaf-feeding insects. These had become very scarce since spraying had become so general. The speaker stated that he asked the agents of the Bureau of Ento- mology in New England to search for dead birds and to send their stomachs to Washington for chemical analysis whenever they were found. (The author of this note adds, that but one dead bird has been found by the gipsy moth agents up to late September, and that its stomach showed no trace of arsenic.)

Two HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-NINTH MEETING, OCTOBER 1, 1914.

The 279th regular meeting of the Society was entertained by Mr. B. A. Schwarz in the Saengerbund Hall, October 1, 1914. There were present Messrs. Abbott, Baker, Barber, Busck, Bur- gess, Caudell, Crawford, DeGryse, Ely, Gahan, Heinrich, Hunter, Hutchinson, Jones, Knab, Kotinsky, Myers, Menagh, Middle- ton, Poponoe, Pomeroy, Sanford, Sasscer, Schwarz, Shannon, Townsend, Turner, Walton, White, Wood, members, and Messrs. 5t. N. Summers and Edward R. Speyer, visitors.

OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, l:H5 3

Air. Busck reported for the Committee appointed to draw up resolutions in commemoration of Dr. Theodore Gill.1

Mr. W. H. White was elected to active membership.

At the close of the program the following visitors were called on for remarks:

Mr. Edward R. Speyer, a Carnegie student, spoke of ento- mological conditions in England.

Mr. John N. Summers of the Gipsy Moth Laboratory, gave a short account of his recent trip to Europe and of the condi- tions present in the forests where the Gipsy moth occurs.

The following papers were presented:

Reply to Criticism by Aldrich, Presented at the 277th Aleeting..

Dr. C. H. T. Townsend2

A Destructive European Pine Moth, Evelria buoliana, Introduced into

the United States August Busck3

NOTES ON SOME BEES FROM VIRGINIA.

BY T. D. A. COCKERELL, Boulder, Colorado.

Mr. S. A. Rohwer has forwarded the following flower records referring to bees collected at Falls Church, Virginia. One of the females is undescribed and is herewith characterized.

VISITORS OF Helianttinx <innnus coronal it*.

The following bees were taken collecting the pollen on the red sunflowers:

Halictus ligatus Say. det. Crawford.

ttonibus pennsylvanicus (De Geer) Franklin del. Crawford.

Honibns impatiens Cresson det. Crawford.

Melissodes dentiventris Smith det. Cockerell. Mr. Rohwer noles I hat this bee visits the sunflowers in the mornings; he never took it in ihe afternoon.

1 Published in these Proceedings, vol. xvi, no. 1.

• Withdrawn from publication.

1 Withdrawn for publication elscwhcrr.

PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

VISITORS OF Phaseolus lunatus.

The following two species are common visitors of the lima beans where they collect nectar:

Bombus pennsylvanicus (De Geer) Franklin det. Crawford.

Bombus fervidus Fabricius det. Crawford.

The following three species of Megachile collect pollen and are useful in cross fertilization. An especially important cross pollinator in the locality studied is the female described below.

Megachile exilis Cresson det. Cockerell.

Megachile latimanus Say det. Cockerell.

Megachile petulans Cresson.

Female. Length about 11.5 mm. Black, the tarsi slightly reddish at extreme apex, the flagellum with very obscure dark reddish spots on the joints berfeath; hair of head and thorax black and white, the tuft behind wings cream-color; ventral scopa pale yellow, becoming white basally, black at extreme apex, but yellow on base of last segment; eyes dark (not green) ; cheeks and vertex small; vertex with black hair, clypeus with some black hair, front with black hair intermixed, face otherwise, and cheeks with white hair; clypeus and supraclypeal area shining, but closely and strongly punctured, no smooth median line on clypeus; lower edge of clypeus gently concave, with a very small median tubercle, not projecting below the margin; maxillary blades clear amber-color; first joint of labial palpi 1200 n long, second, 975 p., tongue extending about 1360 n beyond labial palpi; mesothorax and scutellum densely punctured, but moder- ately shining between the punctures; discs of mesothorax and scutellum with black hair, but thin white hair on mesothorax anteriorly, white hair on scutellum posteriorly, and a band of dense white hair in scutello-meso- thoracic suture; pleura covered with white hair; tegula? black; wings dusky, especially apically; nervures dark; hair of legs mainly white, that on inner side of tarsi ferruginous; short joints of anterior tarsi thickened; middle and hind tarsi broadened, hind basitarsi very broad and flat; abdomen broad cordiform, shining, very finely punctured, with very nar- row entire white hair-bands on hind margins of segments, that on first reduced to a fine ciliation except at sides; when the abdomen is seen from above, onljr a rather small amount of short black hair projects at sides: sixth dorsal segment in lateral profile short and straight, with thin black hair like that on fifth, though there is also a very delicate greyish prui- nosity. Mandibles with two sharp teeth, a third truncate, and a long inner edge.

Habitat: East Falls Church, Virginia, at flowers of lima beans, along with M. exilis Cresson, cf1, and A/, lat-itnanus Say, 9, August 9 (S. A. Rohwer). It is readily distinguished from M. rnfragilis Cresson by the 4-dentate mandibles (with the fourth or inner tooth not at all salient, merely ;i stniight cutting edge').

OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 5

mid the first joint of labial palpi longer than second. From M. relativa Cresson by the shape of the abdomen, band in scutello- rnesothoracic suture, etc. From M. mendica Cresson by the black hair on dorsum of sixth abdominal segment, the entire bunds, etc

Two HUNDRED AND EIGHTIETH MEETING, NOVEMBER 5, 1914.

The 280th regular meeting of the Society was entertained by Dr. L. 0. Howard, in the Saengerbund Hall, November 5, 1914. There were present Messrs. Abbott, Baker, Barber, Boving, Busck, Caudell, Cory, Craighead, Crawford, DeGryse, Duckett, Ely, Fisher, Gahan, Greene, Howard, Hunter, Hutchinson, Knab, Kotinsky, Mclndoo, Marlatt, Popenoe, Rohwer, Sanford, Sasscer, Schwarz, Shannon, Simanton, Snyder, Townsend, Turner, Wal- ton, Webb, White and Wood, members, and Dr. J. C. Bradley, Messrs. Dwight Isely, H. G. Champion and E. W. Rust, visitors.

At the close of the regular program the following visitors were called on for remarks:

Mr. Champion, a Carnegie student, spoke of the scientific societies at Oxford, and also recounted some experiments with small mutillids parasitic on cicindellid larvae.

Dr. J. C. Bradley of Cornell University spoke of certain ento- mological activities now under way in New York State.

The following papers were presented:

Remarks on Dialeyrodes A. L. Quaintance and A. C. Baker1

Notes on Some of our Meetings S. A. Rohwer2

1 Withdrawn for publication elsewhere. - Withdrawn from publication.

6 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

ON ACROCERCOPS STRIGIFINITELLA CLEMENS.

BY CARL HEINRICH, Branch of Forest Insects, U. S. Bureau of Entomology.

AND REV. J. J. DEGRYSE.

HISTORICAL.

This interesting microlepidopteron was first described by Clemens in 1860 under the name Gracilaria strigifinitella and again by Chambers in 1872 as G. duodecemliniella. In 1875 Chambers redescribed it as Ornix quercifolieUa, appending the following note: "a single specimen received from Miss Murt- feldt who informs me that the larva curls down the edge of oak leaves (sic!). In its earlier stages it is probably a leaf miner." Busck in 1902 established the above synonomy and referred the species to Walsingham's genus, Dialectica with the further infor- mation that he had reared a single specimen from oak leaves collected at Washington, D. C. Meyrick has since proved Dia- lectica to be a synonym of Acrocercops and has placed strigi- finitella in Group C (Gen. Ins. Fasc. 123) of that genuy with another North American species, a single European and several Australian forms.

In the spring of 1913 one of the authors (Heinrich) found at Falls Church, Va., a lepidopterous larva mining the midribs of chestnut, chinquapin and oak leaves. Adults reared from these and from similar larva in leaves of Fagus americana,1 were de- termined by Mr. Busck as Acrocercops strigifinitella. Furtm-i investigations were continued by the authors during the past summer. Chestnut appears to be the favorite food plant and during mid-summer the work of the species is very common, few of the young leaves escaping infestation, some bearing as many as four separate mines. When the proper food supply i> abundant, however, there is rarely more than one or two to the leaf. There are a number of generations with considerable over- lapping so that larvae are to be found any time from May till well on into October. The first larval brood appears in spring as soon as the leaves are formed. During July and August the dominant period in the seasonal life of the species is reached. Towards fall there is a gradual diminution in numbers, and during October a partial dying out of the species, due in great measure to the scarcity of new leaves which are necessary to the success- ful maturing of the larva1. In the neighborhood of Washington, D. C., the last larval brood appears early in October. The man- ner in which the species overwinters has not been definitely

1 Elkmont Term., T. E. Snyder, U. S. Bur. of Ent., Collector.

OF WASHINGTON, VOLU.MK XVII, 1915 r

determined but our observations lead to the belief that the few larvae which are able to feed up during October, make their cocoons before the leaves fall and pass the winter as pupa-. developing into moths curly in spring.

SYNONOMY.

Gracilaria strigifinitella, Clemens — Proc. Acad. Xat. Sci. Phil., 6, I860. Gracilaria duodecemliniella, Chambers— Can. Ent., IV, 11, 1872. Ornix quercifoliella, Chambers — Cin. Quart. Jn. Sci., II, 116, 187."). Dialectica strigifinitella, Busck— Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., V, 3, 195, 1903. Acrocercops strigifinitella. Meyrick — Gen. Ins. 123 Fasc., 17, 1912.

EGG.

The eggs (pi. 1, fig. 3) are laid singly on the under surface of the leaves, usually near the base and between the branching ribs. They average about 0.1 mm. in length, are elliptic in cir- cumference, flattened below and convex above, shining pearly white and minutely faceted. The period of incubation for tho-. specimens under observation was from 4 to 6 days.

LAKVA.

Upon emergence from the egg the young larva makes a short irregular linear mine just beneath the cuticle of the leaf on the under side (pi. 2, fig. 4). In this mine it passes the first two instars during both of which it is of the flat specialized gracilariid type (pi. 2, fig. 5), whitish, without legs, abdominal feet or dis- cernible body tubercles or setae. The head-capsule (pi. 3, figs. 1, 2) is wedge-shaped with the greatest width just forward of the tentorial bridge; the diameter of occipital foramen at dorsal extremity of hind margin £.1 The frons extends a trifle more than %, the frontal ridges diverging slightly to the juncture of the tentorial arms, and then converging to form a short bridge (ob) with the hind margin which projects into head-capsule -] . The adfrontal sclerites are fused with the frontal ridges. The tentorial bridge is a trifle less than -| in length, straight and thickened somewhat in the middle; the upper attachment of tentorial arms well back of middle of frontal ridges. Ocelli dorsally placed, well back from base of antenna1; strongly bui unevenly pigmented; lenses absent. Antennae 3-jointed, the basal joint short and only seen under oil immersion; the larger papilla on second joint extending nearly to apex of antenna, papilla- otherwise normal; setae absent. Post-labrum approximately tri-

1 In the description of the head-capsules all measurements are ex- pressed in proportion to the greatest width of the head.

8 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

angular with apex forward of the median incision of the labrum. Labrum (pi. 2, fig. 2) rather narrow, with two setse-bearing tubercles; median incision deep and strongly chitinized on the edges; between these and extending outwardly a small oval epipharyngeal shield (es) visible only under oil immersion; distal edge of median incision serrate. Mandible (pi. 2, fig. 1) flat; three-toothed; distal fourth of median edge projecting and den- tate. Labium (pi. 2, fig. 3) thrust well forward, spoon-like with distal margin serrate and anterior concavity rounded; no labial palpi; under oil immersion a well defined stipes; labium extend- ing far back into head, with no apparent articulation between mentum and sub-mentum. Salivary ducts plainly visible and joining to the front to form what appears to be a very rudi- mentary spinneret, seen only under oil immersion. Hypopharynx finely haired on forward portion only. Maxilla? with palpus absent; origin of lacinia in palpiger not defined; lacinia bearing two bristle-like digiti; no distinct joint between palpiger and stipes, the latter considerably elongated; cardo small and tri- angular. Triangular plates of hypostoma (pi. 3, fig. 1) small and separated by slightly less than |. On the ventral side of the head-capsule approximate to each antennal ring is a pair of hair- less tubercles. Otherwise the head-capsule is smooth. Length of larva before first moult 0.75 mm. ; before second moult 1.25 mm.

After the larva has moulted for the second time it bores into one of the branching ribs which it mines during the whole or greater part of the third instar. The later instars, two of which we are able to account for, are passed in the mid-rib within which the larva mines (pi. 1, fig. 5) up or down, as the case may be, and from which it emerges when ready to spin its cocoon. As a rule the path of the mine is upward, the larva emerging from the upper side of the rib near the tip (pi. 1, fig. 2). In some cases where the leaf is too small for the mid-rib to afford sufficient nourishment, the larva continues to mine from there into the fleshy part of the leaf making a large irregular blotch (pi. 1, fig. i) quite similar to that of Mnemonica. This habit however is quite abnormal.

The first two instars are the only ones in which the larva? are of the flat gracilariid type.1 The third instar larva is transitional between these and the typical cylindrical gracilariid form of the following instars, but with pronounced affinities to the latter. It is cylindrical, has well developed spinneret, labial and maxil- lary palpi and appreciable body seta?. There are, however, no noticeable legs or abdominal feet and the head-capsule while

1 During these stages they are what Tragardh designates as sap-feeders. Comp. Tragardh: Archiv. for Zoologi., Band 8, No. 9, 1913.

OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1913 9

rounded inclines somewhat to the flattened wedge shape. The tentorial bridge and the ocelli are as in the flat instars, the latter however more strongly and evenly pigmented. The mandibles in shape approach those of the last stage.

The larva of the fourth instar does not differ essentially in structure from that of the last.

The mature larva (pi. 4, fig. 1) is in general body characters typical of the family. It is whitish, or, when it has fed up in the blotch mine, greenish, without color markings. The abdomi- nal feet bear seven crochets in two curved rows all pointing backward (pi. 4, fig. 3). Tubercles and seta3 of abdominal seg- ment as figured (pi. 9, fig. 1); using Dyar's numbers, we would say that I is lower than II with I, III and V nearly in a straight line, IV absent or coalesced with V, VI absent; anal segment as figured (pi. 9, fig. 2). The head-capsule (pi. 5, figs 1, 2) is rounded, the dorsal side projecting over the ventral f ; greatest width slightly lower than middle of head, well forward of tentorial bridge. Diameter of occipital foramen at dorsal extremity of hind margin f , at ventral extremity a trifle under \. Length of frons slightly over \; the frontal ridges converging in curved lines to a longitudinal ridge (f long) connecting them with the hind margin, which projects \ into the head; adfrontal sclerites conspicuous but folded under frontal ridges. Tentorial bridge as in first instar; slightly less than f in length; upper attachment of tentorial arms at middle of frontal ridges. Ocelli, five, in two longitudinal rows; 1, 2, 3, dorso-laterally placed; 1 and 2 grouped approximate to antennal ring; 3 back jj 4 and 5 grouped opposite of 3 on ventral side; all with well developed lenses; pigmented area broad and continuous under all the ocelli. An- tenna (pi. 4, fig. 5) distinctly three-jointed; second joint with two papilte and two hairs, the longer hair not extending beyond the extremity of the antenna; third joint as in G. syringella.1 Post-labrum normal. Labrum (pi. 7, fig. 2) curving well down to the sides over the upper edge of the mandibles; median inci- sion concaved and moderately deep; four pair of setae, V and VI absent;2 sides very thin, the lateral edges strengthened by a chitinous bar with six branches projecting inwardly for a short distance and giving a somewhat scalloped appearance to the margin. Epipharynx (pi. 7, fig. 1) densely tufted with hair- like filaments; the paired epipharyngeal plates tooth-like; epi- phaiyngeal shield, heart-shaped, strongly chitinized and pro- jecting beyond the median incision of the labrum. Mandible

1 Comp. Tragardh: 1. c., pp. 16-17.

2 We have followed the system of numbering used by W. T. M. Forbes (Ann. Ent. Soc. Am., vol. Ill, No. 2, p. 96, 1910).

10 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

(pi. 4, fig 4) with five teeth, one ventrally compressed; when closed the toothed edge is vertical. Labium normal with short membrana articularia; in some specimens mentum and sub-men- tum appear to be fused, in others the articulation is distinct. Cardo pear-shaped with small, irregular, strongly chitinized plate at the base. The triangular plates of the hj^postoma meet ap- proximately, their hind margins forming a rounded arch which projects for I into the head-capsule. Maxillary palpus three- jointed with large palpiger; lacinia has three two-jointed digit! and two setae; the base of the lacinia bears four or five overlap- ping plates connected by a chitinous band with similar plates on the maxillulse1 (pi. 6, fig. 1; pi. 7, fig. 3). Epicranial setrc eleven on the dorsal and seven on the ventral sides; there are also a varying number of punctures and small setitious tubercles on the basal half of the dorsal side. Length of full grown larvn. 6-7 mm.

The last instar is a feeding one, the species differing in this regard from Marmara and the true Gracilaria which have a final specialized stage during which the larvae are active and have functioning mandibles but do not use them for feeding.

The entire larval period is about twenty days.

COCOON.

After it leaves its mine the larva lets itself down by a strand of silk to a more secluded place where it spins a cocoon, nearly always on the under side of a leaf near the edge or against one of the ribs. The cocoon is a double affair consisting of a thin outer layer built up from the leaf, and a second, similar, inner layer, everywhere separated from the first by from 1 to 1.5 mm. The cocoon (pi. 1, fig. 4) is 14 mm. long, white, rather flattened, oval and transparent. The outer covering is decorated along the middle with from four to ten small, pearl-like globules similar to those on the Marmara cocoons, but fewer in number and less brilliant. This decorating of the cocoon is quite characteristic of several Gracilariidse. Meyrick2 mentions two Indian species (A. austeropa, Meyr., and Epicephala chalybacma, Meyr.) which have the same habit. These bubbles are also common to the cocoons of all the species of Marmara. Their purpose is con- siderable of a mystery but, as they have the appearance of eggs, they are presumably of some protective value to the pupa. AT

1 The presence of these organs in other Lepidopterous larvae was pointed out by Busck and Boving in their recent paper on Mnemonica auricyanea (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., xvi, 4, pp. 153, 161, 1914).

'-.In. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc., p. 118, June 1914.

OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1915 11

a former meeting of this society1 Mr. Busck has given an accouni of the manner in which they are made. His observations were on M. salictella Clem., but, inasmuch as there is no reason for supposing the method to be different for the other Gracilariidse having a similar habit, we may note his remarks here. In sub- stance he says: after the outer covering of the cocoon is com- pleted a slit is bitten through by the larva. A small globule secreted from the anus is then forced into th§ opening by the mandibles, fastened by a loop of silk and the slit sewn together. This process is repeated until the bubble content of the alimen- tary canal is exhausted.

PUPA.

Within its silken enclosure the pupa (pi. 9, fig. 3) is plainly visible. Throughout the pupal period it is noticably active, re- volving rapidly on the axis of the body when disturbed; greenish brown and structurally normal according to Chapman's classifi- cation of the Gracilariidse.2

Pupal period; six to ten clays in summer.

ADULT.

The imago has steely-greyish-white palpi with two black rings on the terminal joint and two, and a faint third, on the second joint. Head and face whitish, streaked with black or blackish brown, the appressed scales falling well over the eyes and front. Thorax steel grey streaked with black, the dark -portions more crowded towards the center. Forewings grey, suffused with brown giving the ground color a light, rather even, brownish tint; from the costal and dorsal margins several oblique white streaks interspersed with irregular patches and lines of black scales, these markings varying considerably in intensity and dis- tinction of definition in different specimens but averaging as shown in the drawing (pi. 8, fig. 1); the apical area dark brown shading to black; apical cilia greyish white with a median band of black or blackish brown, white at the base, this. white band forming with the costal and dorsal streaks of the apical portion a nearly complete white circle about the darkened area; costal cilia brownish; dorsal cilia brownish grey. Hind wings brownish grey; cilia concolorous, darkening toward apex. Abdomen brown- ish grey above, silvery beneath; the segments diagonally streaked along the sides with black, the streaks meeting obscurely on the dorsum. Legs whitish, striped with Mack. Anal tuft black, slightly marked with grey. Viewed from below the entire inject

1 Proc. Was!!. Knl. Sue., v, 102, 1 {«):>.

- The Kntnmoloirist . Loml., vol. xxxv, pp. HI U'J, 1 !«)•_'.

12 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

has a striking black and white striped appearance. The venation is given in figures 2, 3 and 4 (pi. 8). A marked feature of this species is the costal fold in the hind wing of the male shown in figure 4 (pi. 8).

Alar expanse 8 mm.

In summer the entire life cycle of the insect from egg to imago, is completed in a trifle over a month.

It is very improbable that this species should ever prove of much economic importance. Though common, its feeding does not kill or seriously disfigure the infested leaves. As we have noted the larvae only attack the newer leaves at the ends of branches and leaders. This specialized food habit coupled with the scarcity of their proper food supply during fall Affectively prevents them from becoming overabundant for more than a short period during mid-summer. Parasites and predators also play their part. Four species of Hymenoptera,1 parasitic on the larvae have been reared, and on two occasions Chrysopa larvae were found attacking the gracilariid in its mine, piercing the mid-rib with their mandibles and sucking the juices of the larva within. While wandering about after leaving their mines a number also fall victims of the spiders and birds; but these factors of natural control are of secondary importance as com- pared with the failure of large numbers of the fall larvae to secure a proper food supply.

In conclusion the writers wish to thank their good friends August Busck- and Drs. Adam Boving and Charles R. Ely for many helpful suggestions. Mr. Busck has also contributed the drawings of the wing venation (pi. 8, figs. 2, 3, 4) for this paper. All the other drawings are the work of J. J. DeGryse.

EXPLANATION OF PLATES.

PLATE I. Egg, work and cocoon.

Fig. 1, blotch mine made by larva after it leaves the mid-rib in search for more food.

Fig. 2, opening out by the larva on leaving mid-rib in order to pupate.

Fig. 3, egg (greatly enlarged).

Fig. 4, cocoon decorated with globules.

Fig. 5, normal mode of feeding in chestnut leaf; egg (O); point where larva emerges from mid-rib (ep).

PLATE -II. Larva in the first and second instars.

Fig. 1, mandible (ventral view).

1 Sympiesis flavipes Ashmead, Pseudopanleles ni gripes Roh., an Arthro- lytus sp. and a single undeterminable male of the tribe Oinphalini. (Det. by S. A. Pi,ohwer.)

OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1015 13

Fig. 2, Labrura (Ir); Post-labrum (pi}', Epipharynx (by transparency) (ex); Epipharyngeal shield (es).

Fig. 3, Labium (li) ; Hypopharynx (by transparency) (fix") ; Salivary duct (sd) ; Stipes labialis (si); Digiti laciniae (dl); Palipiger (pgr); Stipes max- illaris (s).

Fig. 4, mine made by larva in the first and second instars; dotted line indicates path of later stage larvae through branching rib into the mid-rib.

Fig. 5, dorsal view of larva of the first and second instars; Antenna (at).

PLATE III. Head-capsule of larva in the first and second instars.

Fig. 1, ventral side of head: Epicranium (epc); Labium (li); Salivary ducts (sd) ; Stipes labialis (si) ; Maxilla (mx) ; Stipes maxillaris (s);Cardo (c); Hypostoma (h); Tentorial bridge (Ib); Mandible (md).

Fig. 2, dorsal side of head: Epicranium (epc); Frons (/); Frontal ridge fused with adfrontal sclerite (adfr) ; Tentorial arms (la) ; Bridge formed by meeting of frontal ridges with hind margin (ob); Rudimentary ocellus (ocl); Labrum (Ir) ; Post-labrum (pi) ; Mandible (md); Hypopharynx (hx); Antennal ring (an) ; Antenna (at).

PLATE IV. Mature larvae.

Fig. 1, lateral view of mature larva.

Fig. 2, thoracic leg.

Fig. 3, abdominal leg: diagram showing arrangement of hooks.

Fig. 4, mandible (ventral view).

Fig. 5, antenna (segments indicated by Roman numerals).

(If Dampf's interpretation of the antennal joints is accepted, our joint II would become joint I and the seta bearing papilla at the top, joint III. — Comp. A. Dampf : Zoolog. Jahrb. Supp. 12, Heft. 3, p. 525, 1910).

PLATE V. Head capsule of mature larvae.

Fig. 1, dorsal view of head: Epicranium (epc) ; Frons (/) ; Frontal ridge with adfrontal sclerite (adfr) ; Tentorial arms (la) ; Ocelli (ocl) ; Antennal ring (an); Antenna (at); Labrum (Ir); Mandible (md) ; Maxilla (mx); Spinneret (sp).

Fig. 2, ventral view of head: Epicranium (epc); Maxilla (mx); Hypo- stoma (h) ; Tentorial bridge (Ib).

PLATE VI. Trophi of mature larva.

Fig. 1, lateral view of labium and hypopharynx: Labial palpi (Ip); Spinneret (xp); Salivary duct (sd) ; Stipes maxillaris (s); Stipes labialis (si) ; Point of attachment of lacinia (a/0; Maxillulac (mxl).

Fig. 2, labium and maxillae (ventral view): Spinneret (sp) ; Labial pal- pus (Ip); Stipes labialis (si); Menturn (w); Submentum (sm); Cardo (c); Maxilla (mx); Stipes maxillaris (s); Membrana articularia (mb).

PLATE VII. Labrum, Epipharynx, and Hypopharynx of mature larva.

Fig. 1, Epipharynx (ex) ; Epipharyngeal shield (ex) ; Internal and external epipharyngeal plates (ep); Epipharyngeal tufts (el); Sensory puncture (spl).

Fig. 2, labrum (Ir); Postlabrum (/;/); "Kpistoina (e).

PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Fig. 3, maxilla1, maxilluho and hypopharynx: Basal (mp i), median imp u) and apical (mp in) joints of maxillary palpus; Palpiger (pgr~): Right lobe of maxillula? in situ (mxl) ; Left lobe of maxillula1 dissected at base and extended (mxl') ; Overlapping plates on outer edge of maxillula? (pp) analogous plates (ppr) at base of lacinia (I); Hypopharynx (hx); Hypopharyngeal plate (hp).

PLATE VIII. Adult and wing-venation.

Fig. ], adult.

Fig. 2, venation of forewing.

Fig. 3, venation of hindwing of female.

Fig. 4, venation of hindwing of male.

PLATE IX. Larva? and pupa.

Fig. 1, abdominal segment of mature larva.

Fig. 2, anal segment of mature larva.

Fig. 3, pupa.

Iii the -discussion of this paper Dr. Boving complimented the authors on their careful work and called attention to the rather scant literature dealing with the epipharyngeal and hypopha- ryngeal structures and especially to the work of the Danish author, H. F. Hansen, who first observed the so-called maxillula? in insects and homologized them with corresponding structures in the Crustacea.

Dr. Boving expressed his particular satisfaction in having been able to call the attention of the authors to the very valuable paper by Dr. A. Dampf [Zur Kenntnis gehausetragender Lepi- dopterenlarven (Zool. Jahrb. Suppl. Bd. 12, pp. 513-608, 54 figs. 1910.)] which deals with the same morphological problems as the present paper and as the recent paper lay Busck and Boving [On Mnemonica auricyanea, Wlsm. (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. v. xvi, pp. 151-163, pi. ix-svi, 1915)].

He regretted very much, that he and Busck by an inexplicable slip of memory had overlooked the paper, of which Dr. Dampf had presented him a complimentary copy, when it appeared. It is a very important contribution and deserves careful consideration by all students of the morphology of Lepidoptera.

PK< 1C. ENT. SOC. WASH., YOI. XVII.

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PLATE II.

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PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. XVII.

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PLATE IX.

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24 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

NOTES ON TWO PARASITIC DIPTERA.

BY A. B. GAHAN.

Credit for the following interesting rearings must go to Robert Fouts, a Washington school boy who was employed as helper in the laboratory at College Park, Md., the past summer. The parasitized hosts were in both cases collected and brought to the laboratory by him.

On September 3, 1914, an adult specimen of Stagmomantis Carolina was picked up in Washington, D. C. When secured the mantid was alive but had a hole in the side of the abdomen through which could be seen a dipterous larva. Whether this wound was due to an old injury which had become maggot- infested or whether it was made by the dipterous larva prepara- tory to emergence is not known. The mantid was placed in a breeding jar with some earth and on the same date three full grown dipterous larvae crawled out of the aperture and entered the soil. On September 21, three adult sarcophagids appeared in the jar. These have been determined by Mr. W. R. Walton as Sarcophaga (Helicobia) helicis.

In his Seventh Report on the Insects of Missouri, Riley records the rearing of a sarcophagid wrhich he determined as Sarcophaga •carnaria var. mantivora from a female Mantis. In referring to this record by Professor Riley, Coquillett in Insect Life, v, p. 23, states the host as Stagmomantis Carolina, but omits the name of the parasite. These are the only records known to the writer of the rearing of sarcophagids from mantids. Mr. E 0. G. Kelly has recently shown Sarcophaga helicis to be parasitic on grasshoppers in Kansas (Jour. Agri. Research, U. S. Dept. Agri. vol. n, p. 441).

Two larvae of Leucania unipuncta were taken at College Park, Md., July 27, 1914, and placed in a breeding jar. On July 29 there emerged from one of these Iarva3 a number of dipterous maggots. These pupated in the bottom of the jar and on August 6 two of the puparia produced adult tachinids. These flies were determined by Mr. Walton as Metachcda helymus. This is be- lieved to be the first record of a host for this epecies.

In discussing this paper Mr. Busck suggested the possibility that Mr. Gahan's sarcophagid fly-larvae were not normally para- sitic, but that they had gained entrance through the mouth of the mantid while the mantid was eating the mother fly; he told of one such case which he observed years ago. In 1897, he was

OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVII, 1015 2")

taking care of a brood of the large Chinese mantid Paratenodera sinensis Sauss., which had been bred from the eggs in the Insec- tary of the Bureau of Entomology. While the mantid larvae were young and numerous they were kept together in one insect case and frequent cases of cannibalism occurred; but as they grew larger they were separated and kept each one in its own standard Riley insect case; they became quite tame and readily took living lepidopterous larva?, flies, or even pieces of meat held by a pair of forceps. About one dozen reached maturity. One morning one of these was offered a large living sarcophagid fly held by the forceps; the mantid, eagerly grabbing it with its graspers, squeezed some living maggots out of the abdomen of the fly; several of these maggots were eaten by the mantid, two or three crawled out on its chin and were promptly wiped into the mouth. One morning sometime later this mantid was found lying on the sand in the case, alive but weak and as it was picked up three or four full grown fly