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RETURN TO
_ LIBRARY OF MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORAT
WOODS HOLE. MASS.
Ohe Canadian Entomologist
WVMOLUME xX<LVil. 1915.
EDITED! BY.
DR. E. M. WALKER,
Biological Department,
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, TORONTO
‘Editor Emeritus: REV. C. J. S. BEFHUNE.
ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, GUELPH, ONT.
London, Ontario: _ The Loadjon Printing and Lithographing Company Limited.
1915.
MIST-OF CONTRIBUTORS TOsVOL ae i
ATINSE TR s\GE@ORIGE (Ge ooo ck correc eee aose ee canoe eee tac ee WASHINGTON, D. C. ADE XSAN DER DRC. P. Comelll Universitye snc nscnents ns tec ITHACA, N. Y.
BAKER, A. W., Ontario Agricultural) College......:.........:.:.....---- ..GUELPH, ONT.
BANKS. 7 DIR a NADEDAIN "2 cnscaeviest eetieactcen se Be es pees oooh ..EAST FALLS CHURCH, VA. BARNES, DR. WM......... Pr Fee 2 een oe eee DECATUR, ILL. BERGRODEH PE eae a =: Sean TUuRTOLA, FINLAND.
1 BY) 2) DA PUN ea see ee Re a ees Be eS See ee Me Aer Pek Lae A ane Ore ci bcien LoulsIAna, Mo. BETHUNE, REV. PROF. C. J. S., Ontario Agricultural College....... GUELPH, ONT.
BE CD NUE WIS BR Wi Mao, ea ccreer tetany Sachces tance diden pe teen ae eae nee Bronx, N. Y.
184) 11221 Dan sO UNM CO a ee Bes cere er oe RYE? NeY;
BRAUN, MISS ANETTE F BRITTAIN, PROF. W. H., College ot Agriculture
TRURO, N.S, CAESAR, PROF. LAWSON, Ontario Agricultural College
CGEEMENS, W. A: University of Maine! .2.-n.n- eee Orono, ME. COCKERELL, PROF. T. D. A., University of Colorado........... BOULDER, COL. COSENS, DR. A., Parkdale Collegiate Institute............0...... seers TORONTO, ONT. CRIDDLE, NORMAN, Dominion Entomological Branch.................. TREESBANK, MAN. CROSBY, PROF. ae Re oe LUANG) es) Noe ee eee eee eos EEL ITHACA, N. Y. DAVIDSON, W. , U. S. Bureau of Entomology WASHINGTON, D. C.
DIETZ, DR. W. é. Setlas cacthassacbrosttectene = x Pa.
DOD, F. H. WOLLEY oe ~ MIDNAPORE, ALTA. FELT, DR. E. P., N. Y. State Museum ae VaiNe Ve
GR RIVGAIN: (BROW 2, ote eres acer ee area tee oa saa Oa ee mee et cap nee OTTAWA, ONT. GIBSON, ARTHUR, Entomological Branch, Dept. Agriculture......... OTTAWA, ONT. GrIRAULD. A: AS Us, So BureaulotePmtomolo sy weve csesc:s-eiees-ceeeseeseees WASHINGTON, D. C. HERRICK PROF. (GoW. .Comnell Wnivexrsity.2eecesece veces ceneenegeenrset ITHACA, N. Y. HEWITT, DR. C. GORDON, Dominion Entomologist..................... OrTTawa, ONT. OOD DA WMS seBiologicall Sinnveayae tas. wesc scenester t eer arene eee WASHINGTON, D. C. JOHNSON, C. W., Boston Society of Natural History....2...0c0cc0008 Boston, MAss. KRAFKA, JOSEPH, Take HorestiWniviersity...cn scoot eee ee ee LAKE Forest, ILL. PELE) Re W:., Cornell "University <.te tens essere secretes beeen ITHACA, N. Y. TCO MAD ey ee Comme ll SUiniversitiyiecs-q-t. cree eek nese eee ene ee eee ee ITHaca, N. Y. {UO ) VAD) 2) Dai gl S peer teense Nae mene Satrae eine ose me ees SE eee nec WaALDOBORO, ME. MATHESON, DR. ROBERT, Cornell ae enaeres a iy er A ae ITHACA, N. Y.
AY, oD LON HOY WK C4 > Came Bt 2a eae ne an Are RA Ue ae ete epee ye nce ee Ber Seay, DeEcaTuR, ILL. MALCOCH. 2J5 Ri, University of limos: eco. -cssscererecesess sce teeeere-casasaes URBANA, ILL. MORRIS, F. J. (A OR ne So Ay Seer a ae enreth: ee PETERBOROUGH, ONT. MUIR, F., Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association..............:5...0:c:ceeeeeees HONOLULU, T. H.
NAKAH ARA, AVG: \1 2X © eee tia tn ens fe Ramin mn. eee MRE a emt Ay hee AeA <i Toxyo, JAPAN. ROHWER, S. A., U.S. Bureau of Entomology.....cscccccccecscceserceeeeee WASHINGTON, D. C. AO ISE WR: RES aS SB ee Reha eae sneccateacvntueciee Se wee ease eee ceri eee LoulstaANa, Mo. SANDERS, G. E., Entomological Branch, Dept. Agriculture.............. OTTAWA, ONT.
STN IN, OS |B, een ere eR Ae Datta eres Sing ay geet rece Antec a rGsercrceees speed MONTREAL, QUE. SLADEN, F. W. L., Central Experimental Farm...................:ce OTTAWA, ONT. SMITH, HARRISON E., U. S. Bureau of Entomology...........::...-:00 WASHINGTON, D. C. SMULY AN, M. T., Mass. Agricultural College.............
SPENCER, G. J., Ontario Agricultinal ‘Colle ger iiiccce.c ee ceees sees ees GUELPH, ONT. STRICKLAND, E. H., Entomological Branch, Dept. Agriculture vee OTTAWA. SWAINE, J. M., Entomological Branch, Dept. Agriculture OTTAWA.
Ce 7,01 Oa tg Oe) Die Y,9 Alle as smn SOS Ene cenercpee soar ecucce ee eirerperersect eee cca ...Boston, Mass. TOWNSEND, C. H. T., U S. Bureau of Entomology.........0:cc00000 Washington, D. C. TREHERNE, R. C., Entomological Branch, Dept. Agriculture.........AGAssiz, B. C. WALKER, E. M., University Ol ROKOMtOs betes ae ecemrraeas ... TORONTO, ONT.
WALLISHe). (Bs, Machray Public School........ WEBSTER, F. M., Bureau of Entomology...
..WINNIFEG, MAN. ... WASHINGTON, D?C.
WEISS, H. B., N. J. Agricultural College..... ..NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J. AAVEDETIN GE Yin Ga oece teres sul ateenceavaonosennaecoth ones ...MILFoRD, N. H. WiININ, GAGS Gere csteeecue ... WESTMOUNT, QUE.
WILLIAMSON, E. B WOODS, WM. COLCORD, Me. Agri. Experiment Station.......
... BLUFFTON, IND. ...ORONO, ME.
WOODWORTH, C. W., University of California...............::ccceeeeeeees BERFELEY, CAL. } - f—- 4 A
Gh Ganadliay Butomologist
VoL. XLVII. LONDON, JANUARY, 1915 No. 1
FURTHER NOTES ON ALBERTA LEPIDOPTERA, WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES. BY F. H. WOLLEY DOD, MIDNAPORE, ALTA. (Continued from Vol. XLVI, p. 403.)
603. Hadena violacea Grt.—A specimen taken at Banff on Sept 20th, 1901, by Mr. Sanson. I have also a few British Columbia records.
604. Hyppa indistincta Sm.—I took a female at light at the Laggan Chalet on July 18th, 1907. It agrees with the figures and description of the female type from Mt. Hood, Oregon, which-I have seen in the Brooklyn Museum. This was stated to be a male in the description. I have a similar female from Kaslo, and have seen others in Mr. Cockle’s collection. Dr. Dyar records the species as indistincta in the Kootenai List, but suggests that both brunnet- crista Smith and rectilinea Dyar (not Esper), from Alaska, are the same thing.
As to the distinctness of brunneicrista I have little doubt. Indistincta wholly lacks the rusty fulvous marks characteristic of that species, and the terminal line in both my specimens is slightly angulated in the submedian interspace, where it is preceded by a blackish crescent-shaped cloud edged with a few chocolate brown scales of the same shade as the lower portion of the median area. In this respect it resembles xylinoides rather than brunneicrista, which lacks the black crescent-shaped cloud in the submedian in- terspace, in which the rusty fulvous shade is paler than any of the brown shades on the wing. The angle, however, does not seem obvious in Smith’s figure, and may be variable. The maculation of indistincta is, as its name implies, less distinct than in the others, and the general colour more dull and even, without the contrast- ing white. In my Laggan specimen the black line on the collar is incomplete centrally, but in the Kaslo example the collar is dam- aged. No such line is referred to in the description. The wing form is that of brunneicrista, and shorter than xvlinoides. °
iw)
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
I have examined the Alaskan specimens in the Washington Museum, which were referred to rectilinea by Dyar. I should call them indistincta. Of the five specimens, only one is a male, and that lacks antenne. That is most unfortunate, as I have seen no other male which I could call indistincta, and the other three North American Hyppas, which include the No. 177 of my Calgary list, are separable from each other by male antennae. European
rectilinea is nearest my No. 177 on both antennal and other characters.
605. Helotropha reniformis* Grt.—Taken at High River by Mr. Thomas Baird, in 1912.
606. Momaphana comstocki Grt.—A fine male, taken, I think, on an electric light pole at Edmonton on May 13th, 1914, by Mr. Valentine Fernekes, to whose generosity I am indebted for the specimen. The type in the British Museum is a much worn male from New York, and there is also a good female there from Orillia, Ont. Hampson gives a wood-cut of the type, but the black markings there shown are too numerous and too intense. Making allowance for that, the Edmonton specimen agrees so well with the wood-cut, Hampson’s description, and my notes, as to make me feel confident in the determination. Another type is said to be in the Cornell University at Ithaca, N.Y. The species appears to be very rare everywhere.
A species which has for many years passed under this name in B. C. collections, was described as Feralia columbiana by Smith in CAN. ENT.,, XXXV, p. 9, Jan., 1903, from two males, one from New Westminster, B. C., from Dr. Fletcher, and the other from “North West Territory,”’ from Dr. Ottolengui. A figure of the type is’in the British Museum, and is copied by Sir George Hampson. The green of my only two specimens of columbiana, | which are males, is much darker than that of comstocki, and in this and most other characters of colour and pattern, Smith’s species has, as he pointed out in the description, more resembl- ance to jocosa than to comstocki. The orbicular and reniform of comstocki are larger and the wings wider in proportion to their length. As to the generic characters, I do not feel quite sure that the proboscis of my columbiana.is non-functional, as that of jocosa
*Not verified.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 3
appears to be, though Mr. Day tells me that he is not aware that the species has ever been taken either at treacle or sallows. And as to veins 6 and 7 of secondaries arising from upper angle of cell in Feralia, as described by Hampson, they do in one of my columbiana, but in the other are most distinctly stalked.
607. Homohadena infixa Walk.—Very rare. I have only three Alberta specimens in the collection. A female, head of Pine Creek, July 23rd, 1901; a male from the Red Deer River, July 6th, 1905; and a male from Edmonton, May 14th, 1910, the latter taken by Mr. F. S. Carr, at light. The female was included in my original notes under badistriga (No. 181). Walker's type of infixa is a badly worn male from Florida. Type kappa Grt. is a male from Kansas, and apparently the specimen figured by Hamp- son. They appeared to me to be the same species. I have eleven specimens from Cartwright, Man., and have labelled one of these as very like type kappa.
Dinalda Smith was described in Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soc., XVI, p. 94, June, 1908, from a male from Winnipeg, and a female from Sandy Lake, Newfoundland, both in the Rutgers College collec- tion, where I have seen them. The male is labelled July 19th, 1897, apparently by Mr. Hanham. I made no comment on the female, so presumably accepted them as one species. I noted that the male was a small gray species, and probably the same as that in my collection from Manitoba, which I had compared with the type of kappa. Messrs. Barnes and McDunnough figure a Southern Manitoba female in their Contributions II, No. 1, Pl. XI, fig. 14, as dinalda, concerning which they say on page 24: ‘Probably this species, judging from the description; we have not seen the type. It is probably identical with fifia Dyar, from Kaslo, B. C., which we do not know.” I feel confident in referring dinalda to infixa, though typical specimens of infixa are rather larger and browner, as are some of my Manitoba series.
Fifia Dyar was described in CAN. ENT., XXXVI, p. 30, Feb., 1904, from two specimens from Kaslo, as a variety of badistriga. I saw a female type at Washington, and noted that it was a species strange to me, though I had previously had a Manitoba specimen of infixa labelled “‘badistriga var. fifia’’ by Dyar himself.
4 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
I have no Kaslo specimens of any Homohadena in my collection, and have always been in doubt as to the identity of fifia. But if I am to accept Dr. Dyar’s identification, which would not seem unreasonable, that would make fifia a synonym of infixa, and dis- tinct from badistriga, from which latter I have always been inclined to dissociate it. Hampson’s published figure of fifia is from a figure sent him of the type, and may be misleading. I have compared my Calgary female infixa- with the same figure from which Hampson’s was taken, and my note is: “Extremely like figure of fifia in British Museum, but more even on costa and with darker thorax.’ The evidence, therefore, seems to point to jifia being infixa, but at present I must leave the matter open. Holland’s Plate XXI, fig. 1, is infixa, and not badistriga, as stated. Badistriga is much more strigate, and has the transverse lines more deeply curved.
In the Rutgers College collection I saw a photograph labelled retroversa Morr., presumably of the type in the Tepper collection. My note on this says: “‘It looks to me almost exactly like the male type of dinalda Smith,” with which I compared it. In that case Hampson’s figure under retroversa, which is copied from a figure of a specimen in the U.S. National Museum, can hardly be correct. Barnes and McDunnough have a coloured figure of type retroversa, described, I believe, from Missouri, and figure a speci- men from that state as agreeing with it. (Contr. II, No.1, pl. XI, fig. 11.) Ihave Manitoba and Alberta specimens of infixa resembling their figure very closely indeed. I dare comment no further.
608. Oncocnemis regina Sm.—Described from a male from Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan. The capture is attributed to the late Dr. James Fletcher, but may really have come from Mr. T. N. Willing. I have seen the type at Rutgers College. _Mr. J. B. Wallis took a female at Lethbridge, Alta., on Aug. 21st, 1912, which I have examined and compared with the description, and judged to be this species, though it appeared to be much darker and less maculate than the type. Barnes and McDunnough, in Contr. I, No. 4, pl. III, fig. 20, figure as regina a Eureka, Utah, specimen, remarking: ‘‘Probably this species, though most
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 5,
of our Utah specimens are decidedly suffused with pink on primaries.’ I have seen a large number of the species which they figure, and from the same locality, and should call it a rather pale form of hayesi,as I understand that. I have seen neither type nor description, but a Colorado specimen from the Grote collection is in the British Museum, and is figured by Hampson. It is much more ochreous than any of the seven Utah specimens in the collection, but I have a Gunnison, Colo., male which scarcely differs from Utah specimens in my series. It is not improbable, however, that regina may turn out to be but a pale form af hayesi, to which it is, at any rate, very closely allied.
609. O. barnesii Sm.—A female taken at Banff, on Oct. 17th, 1910, on an electric light pole, by Mr. Sanson. The specimen was rather worn, but agreed with the description of this species.
610. O. levis Grt.—Lethbridge, Alta. One pair, Aug. 24 and 26, 1912. Taken by Mr. J. B. Wallis, to whom I am indebted for the male.
611. O. glennyi Grt—A male labelled Laggan (‘‘B.C.”’ in error, as usual), 5,000 ft., July 28th, is in the Rutgers College collection, and agrees with Sir George Hampson’s figure of the
type from Colorado. The specimen very likely came from Mr. Bean.
612. O. chandleri Grt.—A male from High River, but without date, taken by Mr. Thomas Baird, I have compared with the type of this species, from Colorado, in the British Museum. The type is paler and graver, and a trifle ochreous, which mine is not. Another male came to light here on Aug. 29th of the present year (1914). A male taken at Lethbridge on Aug. 27th, 1912, by Mr. J. B. Wallis, and in his collection, is similar.
613. O. figurata Harv.?—A female from Lethbridge, July 8th, by Mr. J. B. Wallis. I have compared it with the type of figurata, from Nevada, in the British Museum. It differs in being more even in colour, in having the transverse lines more con- stricted in the submedian interspace, where they are joined by a diffuse black blotch instead of a fine line, and in entirely lacking
6 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
the fine black longitudinal streak from the cell to the termen near
the apex. It differs similarly from Colorado specimens which
stood under /figurata in the Smith collection, and from the Eureka,
Utah, specimen, figured as such by Barnes and McDunnough.: in
Contr. I, No. 4, pl. III, fig. 22. That figure appears to have a
black collar not possessed by either my specimens nor by the type,
though mine has a blackish head. The tegule are disarranged as a result of papering, and may be dark inferiorly. The fore tibia
have a large claw on the inner side, and a small one on the outer,
as Hampson says of type figurata.
614. Platagrotis speciosa Hbn. var. arctica Zett.2—I have two Alberta specimens which I refer doubtfully to this form. A male which I took at the Chalet lights at Laggan, on July 14th, 1904, and a female which turned up at treacle on Pine Creek on August 16th of the same year. I submitted both to Dr. Dyar some years ago, and he called them speciosa. A similar male taken by Mrs. Nicholl in Wilcox Pass during 1907 is in the British Museum, and has been recorded as speciosa var. arctica, by Sir George Hampson in Can. Ent. XL, p. 102, March 1908. The species has long been known in Northern Europe, and both names were first applied to European forms. The typical form in Europe is, as Hampson describes it, “‘gray white, strongly irror- ated with black-brown.’”’ Against var. arctica in Staudinger’s catalogue is a note in Latin, which translates: “‘smaller, darker, with hind wings nearly unicolorous.’’ Sir George Hampson says of var. arctica: “small and dark, with the markings indistinct— Alpine and Arctic.’’ Walker's type of mixta is a female from St. Martin‘s Falls. My note describes it as “gray, black-sprinkled,”’ and, regarding more of the British Museum series continues: “Others, Hudson’s Bay and White Mountains, are much like it, and rather smaller only than the usual run of European examples.” I have European specimens in my collection which I picked from a series submitted to me to show the considerable variation, and one from Labrador, probably collected by Méschler, sent me by Bang Haas, as var. arctica, is more plainly maculate and not nearly as dark as some of those. The Alberta specimens differ in being of a much more bluish dark gray throughout, and in bearing a peculiar resemblance, as regards the primaries, to
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 7
Scotogramma perplexa, which occurs also both at Laggan and on Pine Creek, and with which I formerly confused them, before noting the very d:fferent generic characters.
I have seen in the British Museum Morrison’s male type of perquiritata from Mt. Washington, but have no further note thereon.
615. P.gelida Sparre-Schneider, var. mevesi Auriv.?—I have examined four specimens, all males, taken at Banff by Mr. Sanson, which I refer doubtfully as above. Dates are Aug. 19th, 1909; Aug. 19th, Sept. Ist and 5th, 1911. One of these is in my collec- tion. The others are in that of Mr. Sanson, and one of these | have compared with the British Museum material. On the strength of that comparison I recorded the species as sincera H.- S. in 43rd Rept. Ent. Soc., Ont. (1912), p. 119, 1913, notwith- standing that, as there stated, I found the form to resemble more closely some specimens standing under gelida. Sincera is European, and stands in our North American lists as from Labrador. Hampson adds: “U.S.A., mountains of northern and middle states.’ Gelida has not previously been recorded from North America. In January of the present year (1914), I again examined the British Museum series under both names, though I had then no Banff specimen with me. From my notes I conclude that a specimen standing as “‘ab. mevesi Auriv.’’ from Bergen, Norway, agreed with the Banff form better than did anything else there, and so tentatively I record it. Comparing it with typical gelida, Hampson says of mzvesi: ““Browner: fore wing without the pinkish patch on the reniform; hind wing more irrorated with brown.”’ Hampson refers both gelida and sincera to Anomogyna Staud., with which the present form agrees structurally.
616. P. imperita Hbn.—Calgary July 23rd, 1908, at light; and Didsbury Aug. 5th and 8th, 1905; all taken by by Mr. C. G. Garrett. Banff, July 30th to Aug. 4th, four specimens, by Mr. Sanson. One Calgary and two Banff specimens are in my collection. One of these I have compared in the British Museum, and have labelled it as being like Labrador specimens there standing, and smaller only than the female type discitincta Morr. from St. Martin’s Falls. Hiibner’s figures, which I have carefully
8 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
examined, were from Labrador specimens. A Rama, Labrador, specimen in my collection, from Prof. Smith, is slightly smaller than the local series, and oes in pone less blue-gray, and a trifle ochreous.
617. Protagrotis nicholla Hamps.—(Can. Ent., XL, 102, March, 1908). Described from Alberta and B.C. material taken by Mrs. Nicholl. The male type is from Simpson River, 7,000 ft., Aug. 13th, 1904, and the female type from Glacier, 4,100 ft., Aug. 3rd, 1907. Both localities are in B.C. The rest are four Alberta specimens, three males and a female, Wilcox Peak, July 29th and 31st, 1907, and Brobokton Creek, Aug. 12th, 1907. I am not aware that I have ever seen any other specimens. The impression received after viewing the specimens on two different visits, was that the species somewhat resembled a large Scoto- gramma near promulsa. Hampson places the genus Protagrotis after Euretagrotis and Rhynchagrotis at the end of his vol. IV.
618. Semiophora elimata Guen.—Banff, July 28th, 1910. One male. N. B. Sanson. The specimen is near the var. badicollis Grt. as diagnosed by Hampson, that is having the black markings strong. I have seen neither the type nor description of that form. For a further note on this species, vide Ent. News, XXIV, 359, Oct. 1913.
619. Setagrotis vernilis Grt. syn. filiis Smith.—(Smith, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XX XIII, 127, April 1907; Dod, Ent. News, XXIV, 361, Oct. 1918, re syn.) | Banff, Aug. 14th—Sept. 11th, 1910-11, Sanson. Laggan, Aug. 9th, in Prof. Smith‘s collection, probably from Mr. T. E. Bean. Grote’s type is a male from Colorado in the British Museum, and one of my Banff specimens agrees with it exactly. Smith described fi/its from a single male from Pullman, Washington. When I first saw the type in his collection I took it for an unusually dark blue-gray form of infimatis. At that time I did not know vernilis, as the species which I had standing wrongly under that name in my collection, and which I recorded as vernilis in 41st Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont., 1911 (the “Entomological Record” for 1910, p. 10), was vocalis.
(To be continued).
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 9
GEOMETRID .NOTES — REVISION:: OF THE ‘GENUS HYDRIOMENA HUB., GROUP WITH LONG, SPAEPRD.
BY L.;W. SWETT, BOSTON, MASS.
This group may be distinguished from the groups with short and moderate palpi by the greater length of these appendages, which are beak-like; the slightly larger size and the slighter variability itt colour. The prevailing shades seem to be olive-green and white with variations of black and less of the red, except in Hydriomena ruberata Freyer. I have regarded H. speciosata Pack. as typical of this group, because it is less confused in general collections than the other species.
14. Hydriomena speciosata Pack., (Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., XVI, p. 22, 1874; Monog., p. 102, 1876).
This large, showy, green and white, mottled species is fairly well known to the average collector. The long beak-like palpi are typical of this group. The specimen figured by Packard in the Monograph (PI. VIII, fig. 37) is a variety and not the one from which the original description was drawn. I have limited the type to the one from which the original description was drawn, there being two distinct forms before him at that time. The type is the green form with white mottlings and the cne figured in the Monograph is the black-bordered variety, which I described in the Can. Ent. as Hydriomena speciosata Pack., variety agassizi Swett (vol. XLII, p. 277, Aug. 1910). The normal form of speciosata | have from British Columbia and California and I should not be surprised if it had quite an extended range even through South America as there are several closely-related forms figured in the Biologia Cent. Amer. The typical speciosata is dark olive-green with a white ground colour and five black bands crossing the fore wings, and has black dots at the ends of the veins and a black apical streak. The margin of the fore wing is greenish where in the variety agassizi it is intense black. The
January, 1915 ;
10 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
—_— ——_—_—.
hind wings of both are dark and smoky. The types (2 <o, Mendocino City, Calif., Alexander Agassiz) are in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass. It is a rather rare species but Mr. E. H. Blackmore, of Victoria, B.C., took a nice series, the dates of capture ranging from June 29 to Aug. 10, 1913.
Hydriomena speciosata, var. (a) agassizi Swett, (Can. Ent., vol. XLII, Aug. 1910). This is the form figured by Packard in the Monograph, Plate VIII, fig. 37, under speciosata, to which I have just alluded. Agassizi seems to be a variation towards melanism, the entire outer border being black, with green and white mottlings. The central band is twice as wide in agassizi as in speciosata and the whole insect has a black appearance. It is evidently a rare variety as the type is the only specimen I have seen. The type (1 <&, Mendocino City, Calif., Alexander Agassiz) is in the Museum of Comp. Zoology, Cambridge, Mass.
Hydriomena speciosata, var. (b) taylori Swett, (Can. Ent., vol. XLII, p. 277, Aug. 1910).
This seems to bea colour variety of speciosata in which the green and white is replaced by a brownish-olive. It seems to be local, as I have never seen it from any place but Vancouver Island, where it has been taken at Nanaimo and Victoria. The type was submitted to me by the late Rev. G. W. Taylor, as he was uncertain of the characters of the true speciosata, having been misled by the figure of one form and the description of another.
Type, 1 &, July 22, 1908, from Rev. G. W. Taylor, Departure Bay, in my collection. Cotype, 1 o%, in the collection of Mr. A. J. Croker, July 1, 1909, Victoria, B.C. Other specimens from Victoria, July 3, 1913, have been received from Mr. E. H. Blackmore.
15. Hydriomena costipunctata Barnes and McD. (Contrib. to Nat. Hist. of Lepid. of North America, vol. 1, no. 5, p. 33, July 1912; plate II, fig. 14).
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 11
This form is closely allied to speciosata and also to some of the Mexican species, but Dr. Barnes, with his large series, has no doubt been able to see the distinguishing characters. Personally, I regard it as a variety of speciosata Pack., the figure, as judged by plates, are sometimes rather unreliable as they do not bring out the minute differences. It has a purple-brown ground colour and apical patch and lacks the median white shading of magnificata. It may be that H. magnificata Taylor belongs to the group with long instead of the group with moderate palpi as I listed it. When I was working on this group the Rev. G. W. Taylor sent me a photograph of his type but the palpi were blurred and appeared to be of moderate length. Shortly after this I wrote him about the matter, but unfortunately illness prevented him from replying. Now that his collection has passed into Dr. Barnes’ hands I can ascertain its position from the latter.
HZ. costipunctata, according to the colour, must be close to var. taylort Swett.
Types, 1 o&, 1 2, Tucson, Ariz., in the Barnes collection.
16. Hydriomena barnesata Swett, (Can. Ent., vol. XLI, Julys2-1909* Barnes:.and: McD., ‘Contrib. Nat. Hist. © Lepid. North Am., vol. 1, no. 4, 1912; pl: XIV, fig. 19-22).
This species has very long palpi, possibly the longest of the group, and the general appearance is different from any of the others. The broad smoky mesial band with its three black lines, and the clear white mesial space beyond make it resemble in a way some of the German varieties of autumnalis with pointed or elongated wings. The general colour is olive-green and white. The hind wings are dark smoky brown. It is a large species and evidently rather rare as I have only seen a few specimens, three from Dr. Barnes and one from Mr. Grossbeck.
Types, 3 & (coll. Barnes, 2 oc; coll. Grossbeck, 1 <), Huachuca Mts.. Ariz. Paratype, 1 oc’, Palmerlee, Ariz., in my collection. Through the kindness of Dr. Barnes, I also have 1 92 from Fort Wingate, N. Mex., which.does not differ materially from
the male. (To be continued.)
12 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
SS SS
NORTH AMERICAN DIPTERA.
BY J. R. MALLOCH, F.E.S., URBANA, ILL.
The new species described in this paper were taken during a field trip in connection with an investigation of the occurrence of Simulude in the southern part of the State of Illinois. The types _ are deposited in the collection of the Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History. This paper is published by permission of Dr. Stephen A. Forbes, State Entomologist.
The present opportunity may be taken to draw attention to a curious error which occurs in my paper on Simuliide.* In the last page proof there appeared a period after the word Simulium in the first caption of the generic table. In making the change to a comma the compositor, evidently by mistake, took out the last line of table instead of last line of caption I, thus causing the same line to appear twice, and deleting the alternative to caption 2, which should read, ‘Face broad, basal cell absent....Prosimulium, p. 24.”
Botanobia hinkleyi, new species.
Female.—Black. Frons reddish brown, slightly obscured by grayish pollen, the anterior fourth pale yellow, surface hairs yel- low; ocellar triangle opaque; face obscure, whitish yellow; antenne brown, the lower portion of third joint, especially towards base and on inner side, yellowish; arista brown; cheeks concolorous with face, obscured with gray posteriorly; clypeus gray; proboscis brown; palpi yellow. Mesonotum black with dense gray pollino- sity, which obscures the surface, with the exception of the areas occupied by four longitudinal vittee, those areas shining; pleure black, upper half gray pollinose, lower half highly glossy; scutellum slightly gray pollinose, but shining; thoracic hairs brownish yellow, the bristles black. Abdomen distinctly shining, with but slight indications of dusting; surface hairs soft, white. Legs yellow, black on coxze except their apices, femora except narrowly at apices, - the fore and mid tibize at the middle, the hind tibiz except their bases, and on the apices of the tarsi; surface hairs pale. Wings clear, veins brown. Halteres pale yellow, the stems brownish.
*Tech. ser. No. 26, Bureau of Entomology, April 6, 1914. January, 1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 13
———_—
Frons slightly less than one-half the width of head, the sur- face hairs short, though numerous, those on the lateral margins
not long, though setulose; triangle short and broad. not reaching to middle of frons, and not half as broad as frons at vertex; an- tenna with third joint as broad as cheek at middle, which is equal
to one-third the height of eye; cheeks with many soft hairs, which are very short, the anterior hair distinguishable, but not vibrissa- like; a distinct ridge traverses the cheek mid way between the eye and the lower margin; eye slightly higher than long, pubescent. Surface of mesonotum unpunctured, the space between the median pair of vittee impressed; surface hairs numerous, though short, and regularly distributed; bristling normal; scutellum haired as meso- notum, and with four marginal bristles, the basal pair very much shorter than the apical pair, the latter not closely approximated, cruciato; surface of scutellum convex, its outline rounded. Ab- domen ovate, aslongas thorax. Legsnormal. Wing witha distinct break at apex of auxiliary vein, which vein is traceable; first costal division subequal to second, third one half as long as latter; inner cross-vein at a little before the end of first vein; the distance be- tween its upper extremity and the inner cross-vein about three- fourths the length of last section of fifth vein, and one-third as long as last section of fourth; veins 3 and 4 subparallel.
Length 2 mm.
Type locality —Dubois, Ill., April 24, 1914. Taken by sweep- ing evergreens (J. R. Malloch).
Paratype—Same locality. Taken by sweeping. Related to trigramma Loew, from which the difference in the thoracic mark- ings, especially, will serve to separate it.
Named in honour of Mr. A. A. Hinkley, the well-known conchologist, on whose ground the species was taken, and to whom we are indebted for much hospitality.
Agromyza aristata, new species.
Female.—Black; thorax very densely covered with pale gray pollen, entirely opaque; abdomen less densely pollinose, slightly shining. Head bright yellow, only the upper third of frons, includ-
14 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
—
ing the ocellar region, and back of head black, with grayish pol- linosity ;antenne, palpi and proboscis yellow; arista and head bristles blackish, the former yellow at base. Thorax without pale mark- ings, except below wing base, where it is obscurely yellowish. Legs yellow, including the coxe. Wings clear, veins brown, fourth and fifth less distinct than the others. Squame yellow, fringe con- colorous, margin brownish. MHalteres yellow, knobs whitish.
Frons about one-half the head width, orbits poorly defined; four pairs of orbital bristles present, which are of moderate strength, the anterior two pairs incurved, the posterior two back- wardly directed; frontal triangle not well defined; antennz of moderate size, third joint disc-like, arista tapering, bare, very short, its length barely exceeding the height of the third antennal joint; cheek at posterior margin as high as eye, at anterior mar- gin about one-half*as high, marginal hairs weak and pale, vibrissa black and well differentiated, though not strong. Mesonotum with four pairs of dorso-central bristles, which decrease slightly in strength anteriorly, the anterior pair slightly in front of suture, about five irregular rows of discal setulae between the anterior dorso-centrals; the pair of bristles between the posterior dorso- centrals of moderate length. Abdomen ovate, penultimate seg- ment short, ovipositor rather short and broad; posterior margins of all segments with distinct bristly hairs, which are most notice- able on the last segments. Legs of moderate strength, their sur- faces with short black hairs; mid tibia without posterior bristles. Wings slender; costa indistinguishable from slightly beyond apex of third vein; veins 3 and 4 gradually divergent on their apical portions; fourth vein reaching wing margin at about same distance behind apex of wing as third vein does before apex; auxiliary vein indistinct; inner cross-vein distinctly beyond apex of first, and near to apical third of discal cell; last section of fourth vein about six times as long as penultimate section; last section of fifth vein about four-fifths as long as penultimate section.
Length 2. mm.
Type locality—Gleason Dune, Havana, IIl., April 30, 1914 (Hart & Malloch).
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 15
Paratypes Havana, April 30 and May 1, 3. specimens; Golconda, Ill., April 18, 1914, on bank of Ohio River, and St. Joseph, Ill, May 3, 1914, 3 specimens (Hart & Malloch).
Male.—Similar to the female in coloration, bristling and ven- ation. The hypopygium is normal in size and yellowish in colour.
Allotype-—Same data as type.
This species, through its possession of a pale yellow face and frons and the discontinuance of the costal vein, will run down to section 13 in my table of species in this genus,* but may readily be separated from the two species included there as follows: From brevicostalis Malloch by the lateral margins of the disc of meso- notum being concolorous with the disc, and from davist Walton by the yellow antenne. Parvicella Coquillett is a much more slender species than aristata, and is essentially different in many respects.
The food plant of aristata is unknown, the specimens being the result of general collecting in different situations.
Agromyza pruinosa Coquillett.
It may be of interest to record the occurrence of this species at St. Joseph, IIl., on May 3, 1914. The writer took three females on the bank of Salt Fork, by sweeping the branches of various trees. River birch (Betula nigra) is recorded only for the southern part of the State, and no birch trees occur at the place where the inse-t was taken, so that it must feed upon some other tree here. Further investigation may be made to discover its habits in this locality.
Agromyza infumata, new species.
Male.—Black. Head black, frons opaque on centre stripe, ~ orbits and ocellar region shining; apex of proboscis pale brown. Mesonotum shining, but with distinct brownish pollinosity; ver- tical pleural suture and below wing base brown; squamz gray, margin and fringes brown. Abdomen shining black, without pollinosity. Legs black. Wings slightly grayish, veins dark brown. Halteres yellow, knobs white.
*Am. Ent. Soc. Amer., Vol. 6, 1913, p. 271.
16 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Frons at vertex about one-half the width of head, at anterior margin slightly over one-third the head width; orbits well defined, five pairs of orbital bristles present, the anterior three pairs in- curved, the upper two pairs backwardly directed, all the bristles moderately long but fine, orbital hairs weak; frontal triangle dis- tinct, not reaching to middle of frons; antennze normal in size, third joint rounded; arista thickened at base, tapering to beyond middle, bare, its length equal to anterior width of frons; face very slightly concave; cheek barely as high as third antennal joint, at its highest point about one-fourth as high as eye, marginal hairs numerous, but weak, vibrissz differentiated but not strong; eye higher than long. Mesonotum wth four pairs of dorso-central
bristles; discal setulae distinct, but not very numerous, about five irregular lines between the anterior dorso-centrals; no bristles be- tween the posterior pair, the s2tule continued to between the lat- ter. Abdomen rather slender, the surface with numerous rather strong hairs; hypopygium normal. Legs with short surface hairs; no posterior bristles on mid tibia. Costa to end of fourth vein, which is almost exactly at wing tip; auxiliary vein indistinct, but complete, not fused with first; veins 2, 3 and 4 distinctly diver- gent apically; outer cross-vein oblique, its upper extremity in ver- tical line with apex of first vein; inner cross-vein at middle of discal cell; last section of fourth vein about eight times as long as penultimate section; last section of fifth vein twice as long as penultimate section; sixth vein almost reaching wing margin.
Length 2 mm.
Type locality.—Dubois, Il., April 24, 1914, taken by sweep- ing in woods (Hard & Malloch).
This species belongs to the group which is dealt with between ‘ captions 28 to 34 in my table of species in Agromyza, above referred to, and is most closely related to fragarie Malloch, from which it may readily be separated by the very different wing venation. This character also s2rves to distinguish the species from any other in this group, as does also the absence of the mid tibial bristles. Food plant unknown.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST ti
ee a a i
SOME CHALCIDOID HYMENOPTERA FROM NORTH QUEENSLAND. BY A. A. GIRAULT, NELSON (CAIRNS), AUSTRALIA.
The types of the following species are in the Queensland Museum, at Brisbane.
Family TRICHOGRAMMATID£. LATHROMERINI.
Genus Lathromerella Girault. 1. Lathromerella fasciata Girault.
Five females of this beautiful species were taken June 3, 1913, by sweeping the forested slopes of Mount Pyramid (from 1,500 to 2,500 feet), Nelson, North Queensland, by Mr. Alan P. Dodd. The metathorax plus propodeum are black on each side having a wide mesial portion concolorous (dorsal aspect). The two ring- joints are verified.
Genus Lathromeroides Girault.
1. Lathromeroides fasciativentris n. sp.
Female.—Length 1.30 mm.
Exactly similar to the type, longicorpus Girault, but the abdomen banded with four or five black cross stripes. The black dot under the stigmal vein is surrounded with suffused blackish. Two ring-joints. Mandibles tridentate.
Male.—Not known.
Described from one specimen captured with the foregoing Lathromerella.
Habitat.—Australia, Nelson (Cairns), Queensland.
T ype——The above specimen on a slide. Later, the species was compared with the type of longicorpus. It is distinct.
Chaetostrichini Genus Neobrachista Girault.
The antenne in this genus were wrongly described as bearing but one funical joint; there are two but the first is wider than long and not very distinctly separated, though distinct enough in specimens of the following new species. In the type species, however, it is still shorter and resembles more one of the ring-
joints except that it is wider and is intimately connected with the January, 1915
18 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
funicle. The genus is distinguished from Brachistella and Abbeila by its very short marginal vein, and its long, slender stigmal. It is gratifying to me to be able to throw light on this point.
1. Neobrachista novifasciata n. sp.
Female.—Length 1.00 mm.
Closely allied with the type species, fasciata Girault, but more robust, the abdomen broader (a little wider than the thorax, distinctly narrower in fasciata), and with but three black stripes across it, one a little out from base, the second a little distad of the middle, and the third a little distad of the mid-distance from the second to apex. The first funicle joint is a little longer and more distinct (yet not quite half the length of the second which is a little wider than long; in the type species the first joint is only, about a fourth the length of the second which is a little longer than wide). Second, black stripe of abdomen interrupted at the meson, the others continuous and straight. Mandibles tridentate. Also the fore wings are shorter and broader, subtruncate at apex (bearing about 26 lines of discal cilia across the widest point). Fore wings slightly clouded, more distinctly under the stigmal vein and along the venation. Thorax with a distinct median sulcus (not present in the single specimen of the type species before me though slightly indicated in places, nevertheless plainly absent), as deep as the parapsidal furrows.
Male.—Not known.
Described from a single specimen captured with the above Lathromerella.
Habitat.—Australia, Nelson (Cairns), Queensland.
Type.—The above specimen on a slide with two 9’s of Lathromerella fasciata Girault.
Family MYMARID-. Genus Polynema Haliday.
1. Polynema zolai n. sp.
Male.—Length 1.50 mm. Large.
Jet black, the wings hyaline, the venation black, also the antenne (but the pedicel brown) and the legs except the tarsi, knees, tips of tibiz and all of cephalic tibize which are brown. Characterized by the wings which are broad, subtranslucent and
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 19
with short marginal fringes the longest of which are only about a sixth the greatest wing width; only about twelve lines of discal ciliation which is scattered, most numerous cephalo-distad and practically absent over all of the proximal half of the blade which is about two and a quarter times longer than broad. Antenne longitudinally striate, the joints shortening distad, the proximal joint of funicle as long as the second, somewhat brownish, the club joint a little longer than the distal funicle joint which is about a fourth shorter than joint 1 of the funicle, the latter about 21% times longer than wide at the base. A very short, narrow, minute ring-joint is present.
Female.—Not known.
Described from one male specimen given to me by Mr. A. P. Dodd, who captured it by sweeping the edge of jungle, May 20, 1913. -
Habitat.—Australia, Kuranda, North Queensland.
Type.—The above specimen on a slide.
- Respectfully dedicated to Emile Zola for his “La Débacle,”’ wherein the horrors of war are ably pictured to us.
2. Polynema speciosissimum, n. sp.
Female.—Length 1.50 mm. Large, the fore wing banded.
Black, the head except the dusty vertex, the prothorax and mesonotum reddish brown. Petiole of abdomen, coxe, cephalic femora, all trochanters and proximal half or more of all tibia, white. Tarsi reddish brown, also the scape and pedicel. Funicle joints 4 and 5 white, antenne and legs otherwise black, except tips of front tibiz, which are yellowish. Fore wings banded as in > franklini Girault, but the cross-band is very intense jet black and decidedly longer, distinctly less than its own length from the apex of the venation. Scape not distinct!y sculptured, the first funicle joint elongate but only 24 the length of the second, which is very long, subequal to the third, both longest; joint 1 longer than 6, subequal to 4, which is slightly longer than 5 (funicle). Cross- band of fore wing followed by a broad, naked area from margin to margin, the black band itself one and a third times longer than wide (cephalo-caudad). Sculpture inconspicuous. Discal cilia in the black band very dense and longer than the fine, shorter,
20 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
less dense ciliation distad, the longest marginal cilia about three- fourths the greatest*wing width.
Male.—Unknown.
Described from a single female captured by sweeping in a jungle-pocket, June 4, 1913. This species is certainly one of the most remarkably coloured mymarids known.
Habitat.—Australia, Nelson, North Queensland.
Type.—The above specimen on a slide.
Genus Gonatocerus Nees. 1. Gonatocerus competi Girault.
A single very pale female of this species was taken on May
29, 1913, at an elevation of 1,500 feet, forest, Nelson, North
Queensland. A round spot is present on the base of the scutellum. (To be continued.)
A NEW GENUS AND A NEW SPECIES OF LEPIDOPTERA FROM ARIZONA.
BY WM. BARNES, M.D., AND J. MCDUNNOUGH, PH.D., DECATUR, ILL.
Having had occasion to examine the types of the species de- scribed as Mamestra antonito Barnes (Can. Ent., vol. 39, p. 14, 1907), we were surprised to find that the @ and Q types represented respectively two entirely different species, structurally widely apart, neither of which could remain associated with the genus Mamestra, or Polia, as it is now called by Hampson.
The & type, labelled Barathra antonito, which we figured in our “Contributions,” vol. I, no. 4, pl. VI, fig. 6, and from which the original description was drawn, has hairy eyes, a fact which led to its being placed in Mamestra; the mid and hind tibie are, however, distinctly spined, which would throw it into Hampson’s subfamily Agroting, and associate it with the two genera, Ala Staud. and Trichorthosia Grt., the only two described genera combining hairy eyes and spined tibize; of these Ala contains several Heliothid-like moths from Central Asia which have nothing in common, apart from the above mentioned features, with antonito Barnes; parallela Grt., the type of the genus
Trichorthosia is, as the name implies, rather Orthosian in appear- January, 1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 24
ns
ance and is further characterized by the flat hairy appressed thoracic vestiture with slight tuft of metallic scaling on’ meta-
thorax and no abdominal tufting. In antonito Barnes the thoracic vestiture is loose and composed chiefly of large spatulate scales; there is a slight divided tuft on the metathorax and a small tuft on the basal abdominal segment; the & antenne show a rather peculiar structure in that they are very strongly lamellate, each lamella being considerably excavated centrally, the two ends thus projecting far beyond the central portion and presenting to a casual glance the appearance of bipectinations; the fore tibiz are unarmed, the palpi short, upturned, with 3rd joint rather porrect and the tongue is well developed; the species evidently represents a new generic type for which we would propose the name Mimoba- vathra,; besides the o& type of antonito we have six further o”’s from White Mts., Ariz., before us from which we have drawn up the above generic characterization. The so-called 9 type of antontto Barnes labelled ‘So. Arizona, Poling’’ does not, as already men- tioned, belong to this species at all; it has naked eyes, unspined tibie, the fore tibia however with well developed apical claw on inner side; the thoracic vestiture is composed of loose spatulate : scales, but the specimen is too rubbed to determine the nature of the tufting. It would fall into Hampson’s subfamily Acronyctine and according to his tables belong either to the genus Copanarta Grt. or to Leucocnemis Hamp. It is apparently undescribed and bears but little affinity to the already described species of either of these two genera, but as the specimen is considerably worn we dislike to create a new genus for it and place it provisionally in Leucocnemis Hamp. with following characterization :—
Leucocnemis barbara, sp. nov.
Head and thorax clothed with an admixture of white, black and pale ochreous scaling; primaries white, heavily sprinkled with smoky, the ground colour almost obliterated and only showing distinctly in subterminal area; basal area sprinkled with orange scaling, especially before lower portion of t. a. line, which is black, outcurved and lunulate; orbicular round, orange, with dark cen- tre and black outer line; reniform broad, figure-of-eight-shaped, open above and below, with pale centre broadly margined with
a2, THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
orange, the whole surrounded by black line; t. p. line single den- tate, sinuous, black, shaded outwardly above vein 1 with orange, this shading covering entire s. t. space; s. t. line indicated by broken orange scaling on dark blotches; fringes checkered white and black. Secondaries smoky, paler. in basal half and slightly hyaline, crossed by an indistinct smoky line. Beneath, primaries smoky, secondaries as above. Expanse 30 mm.
Habitat.—South Arizona (Poling). One 9.
Type.—Coll. Barnes. |
FIELD NOTES AND QUESTIONS. Interesting New Jersey Captures.
On April 7, 1914, alarge Carabid was taken at Ree N.J.5 from a case of Japanese azaleas. Mr. E. A. Schwarz to whom it was sent identified it as Damaster blaptoides Kollar and said that it was a rather rare species, the genus being peculiar to Japan. Inasmuch as it is a beneficial insect its introduction into the United States would be desirable.
Eucactophagus graphipterus Champion was taken during April, 1914, in a greenhouse at Summit, N.J. This member of the family Calandride was determined by Mr. Schwarz who has the following to say concerning it, “Very interesting; a native of Costa Rica and U.S. of Columbia; only three specimens are knewn. The one figured in Biol. Centr.-Amer., vol IV, part 7, plate IV, fig. 35, was found by Prof. Britton in a greenhouse at Connecticut, Larve and other biological material of this species are greatly desired by the U.S. National Museum, also more information regarding nature of damage to orchids.”
Harry. B. Weiss, New Brunswick, NJ.
Callopistria floridensis Guen. in New Jersey. The work of this. insect known as the Florida Fern Caterpillar or the Southern Fern-Cutworm was first noted in New Jersey at Weehawken, Riverton and Rutherford during September and October, 1914, where the larve were doing considerable damage to ferns. in greenhouses, attacking such species as Adiantum, Cyrtomium, Nephrolepis, Pteris, Polypodium, Blechnum and Asparagus sprengeri. Both forms of larve were present with the
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 23
et
green ones largely in the majority, although the black ones were by no means scarce. Handpicking of the caterpillars and shaking of the infested plants supplemented by “‘swatting’’ the moths at night with the ordinary wire “‘fly swatters’’ gave the best results. Light traps and stale beer and molasses attracted only a few moths. Paris green and hellebore burned the foliage as did arsenate of lead to a slight extent. The chief objection to arsenate of lead was the discolouration of the foliage, which followed its use. Poisoned bran and molasses was not successful, as the larve preferred the ferns. A detailed account ot this insect can be found in Bull. 125, Bur. Ent. U.S. Dept. Agric., by F. H. Chittenden, and in the 27th Report of the State Entomologist of Illinois which contains an article by J. J. Davis. Inasmuch as neither of these publications mentions the hatching period of the egg, I might say that eggs under my observation hatched in from five to seven days. Considering the fact that it is a troublesome species once it gains a foothold in the fern house, it would pay fern growers to be on the watch for it when receiving plants from other establishments. It can be readily transported in the egg, larval and pupal stages.
Harry B. WeEtrss, New Brunswick, N.J.
Priophorus acericaulis MacG. in New Jersey. This saw-fly known as the Maple Leaf-Stem Borer is listed in Insects of New Jersey as being very local and recorded from South Orange. During May and June, 1914, it was found injuring maple trees on the property of Mr. T. Romaine, Hackensack, N.J. The leaves started to drop about May 20th, and in a few days the ground beneath the infested trees was covered. Mr. Romaine had observed this unusual pest for the past four years and during that time it had not spread at all to adjoining maples. An account of its life history by Dr. W. E. Britton can be found in Ent. News, vol. 17, Nov., 1906, and acting on the suggestion contained therein, kerosene emulsion at the rate of one to twelve was applied twice to the ground beneath the trees while the larve were entering. It is somewhat unusual to run across the work of this insect which is not by any means common.
Harry B. Wetss, New Brunswick, N.].
24 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY.
(This is the first of a-series of articles, which, it is hoped, will appeal to our amateur readers and those primarily interested in agriculture. They are not offered as original contributions to science, but may incidentally contain new observations.—Ed.).
SOME INHABITANTS OF A SAND PLAIN IN JUNE.* BY NORMAN CRIDDLE, TREESBANK, MAN.
The locality chosen for this paper is a drifting, undalaped sand plain, some two miles in length and not more than half that distance across at its widest point. It is surrounded on three sides by low, sparsely-grassed, sand dunes, not infrequently scolloped out and bare to the south, and having a denser, or even luxuriant vegetation on the north side. Between these ridges are low, undulated valleys, which in early days were thickly wooded, and often contained small ponds. Now much of the larger timber has been destroyed by fire and the ponds are dry. Scattered over all this area, however, are still numerous white spruce, while aspen poplars are again rapidly making their way through the often dense willow scrub.
On the east of our plain is a large bog extending for a number of miles, containing the usual vegetation including larch, black spruce, birch and a variety of small shrubs and plants too numerous to mention.
On the sand plain, itself, with which we are chiefly concerned, are several islands of trees, surrounded, that is, by sand, and upon which are larch, poplars, birch, willow, maple, cherry, etc., while in the valleys sheltered from the actual drift may be found Eleagnus argentea, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Petalostemon candida and P, villosa, Senecio manitobensis, wild sunflowers aud others.
The sand itself is yellowish-white and on account of constantly drifting, remains permanently wet a few inches below the surface. It is this condition that enables it to support the plants mentioned above as well as a binding grass, Orizopsis cuspidata, and two others which grow extensively, namely, a stout form of Andropogon furcatum and Calomovalfa longifolia.
The date of our trip is June 20th—the locality Aweme, and
Province Manitoba.
eee ee, eS ee *Contributions from the Entomological Branch, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. January, 1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 25
Almost the first plant to attract our attention as we climb into the loose sand is the beautiful Veined Dock, Rumex venosus. Just now, however, its chief attraction lies in the fact that it harbours three different species of beetles. First there is that bright little Chrysomelid, Gastroidea formosa, whose colour is in striking contrast to the sand, but harmonizes, instead, with the plant it feeds upon. Then there is an active, narrow, black beetle, probably Anthicus monticola Casey, and lastly a species closely related to the famous Alfalfa Weevil, namely, Phytonomus quadricollis. This beetle is very apt to be overlooked unless we inspect the plants closely, its colour both above and below being almost identical with the sand, and then it has a habit of clinging to the stems near their base when it often becomes partly buried by the’ drift. Lastly, added to its remarkable ~ protective colouration, are its habit of shamming death whereby it may easily be lost among the sand. The larve feed upon the plant and later spin silken cocoons among the leaves, where they change to pupe, and towards autumn to beetles, passing the winter in this stage, presumably buried among the leaves and sand.
Having passed the objects just discussed and climbed upon the sand to where it is level, probably the first object to attract us will be a species of tiger beetle called Cicindela limbata, a beautiful little creature which delights in the pure drifting sand with perhaps on odd clump of grass for shelter. It is here in hundreds running actively about and readily taking wing when disturbed; but it is not a strong flier and consequently seems to . depend largely upon its protective colours to escape capture, which, however, avails little when man is the hunter. Larval holes are common enough, being more often met with in the valleys where they are somewhat sheltered from the wind. They are quite shallow burrows, in fact, the shallowest of any of our local species. Two sizes occur at this time, those containing laryz that are about to change to pupe, and others much smaller which have yet a full year in which to do so.
A collector visiting a situation like this for the first time, and not knowing the habits of tiger beetles, is apt to be disappointed if the day be either unusually hot or cold. For while every
26 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
indication points to a profitable hunting ground, there will hardly be abeetlein sight. Exp2rience, however, teaches that appearance is often deceptive, and here we have no exception to the rule. In reality the beetles are merely hiding from heat or cold, as the case may be. Personally, I have found such periods among the most profitable for collecting, as one soon gets to recognize the peculiar little heaps of sand thrown out as a badger would throw it out, with the entrance carefully closed. These heaps of sand are more compact than those of wasps so common here, and are therefore easily recognized. The holes are always on a slant, and can be readily traced by pushing astalk of grass along them. Then by moving the sand carefully the beetle will be revealed ready to rush out, which it will do and escape too, if one is not careful. Their temporary homes are seldom more than six inches long and are never used more than once. On cold or rainy days, however, they will be occupied until the return of fine weather.
As arule, tiger beetles retire beneath the ground each night, but occasionally some species at least, acquire that desire for travelling, which is common to nearly all creation in some shape or form and which, of course, is one of the chief factors in the distribution of animals. Then they disregard all their usual habits and with other diurnal insects fly long distances at night, often indeed in the very darkest of nights. Some species of Cicindela, however, do this travelling in the day time when, of course, they run.a greater risk of falling a prey to birds.
Moving down into a hollow, sheltered by spruce and Wolf Willow (Eleagnus), where the sand is no longer drifting, but still shows many bare spots among the sparse herbage, we encounter a form of Cicindela lecontet recently described as a new species by Colonel Casey. It is an interesting tiger beetle, varying from greenish-bronze to rich wine colour and usually having the white markings united into a continuous marginal band. It is not a strong flier, but on account of its habit of remaining on the ground and running to the edge when a net is thrown over it, it often escapes. The larval holes are common here in company with those of Cicindela lengi (venusta). The latter, however, prefer rather more open situations, as does also the adult.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 27
me ES
It is bordering the habitat of C.lecontei but nearer the drifting sand, that we meet with the finest of all our tiger beetles, a large strong-flying insect which will often travel three hundred feet or more at a stretch. This is C. manitoba Leng., next to limbata, the commonest on the sand. He isa great terror to ants and other small insects, nor does he take amiss medium-sized beetles, in fact there is one, Disonycha quinquevittata, a regular pest on a sand-binding willow (Salix longifolia), which seems to form a goodly proportion of the tiger’s food. The larve of C. manitoba, while very similar to other species, are quite original in their methods of constructing a burrow. Other species have nearly a straight hole usually at right angles to the surface, but manitoba constructs a cup-like pit into which the butrow enters horizonta'ly from one side and then gradually curls downwards to a perpendicular position, The advantage of this is that it forms a regular death trap to the unsuspecting insect which happens to be crawling near. Possibly this simple method of procuring food is at least in part responsible for the larger size of the species.
Returning again to the centre of the sand we encounter a longish valley blown a'most down to water and sheltered by sand banks. Here on a hot day, we shall encounter all the tiger beetles already mentioned, as well as obliquata, 12-guttata and repanda. Among the wet sand here are numerous heaps of sand evidently ‘shoved up by an animal burrowing straight downwards. Select a fresh one and dig carefully to five or six inches and you will discover a roundish beetle rather like a large lady-bird beetle superficially, which in reality, however, belongs to the Carabide and is Omophron americanum. ;
In the higher spots are the larval holes of another tiger beetle called C. lepida. They are right on the drifting sand and one wonders how the insects manage to keep their holes open or procure sufficient food in such a desert. Asa matter of fact there is evidence to indicate that such unfavorable conditions have at least lengthened the larval life to a year beyond the average. Should we be lucky enough to discover a mature larval burrow we might, at this time, trace from it that of the pupal chamber which is the longest I have yet com2.acro3s. Th2 larva wnen mature
28 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
constructs a burrow branching out semi-horizontally from the original one, commencing about two inches below the surface and having an average length of nine inches, though some I examined extended for eleven. The burrows slant downwards to a depth of five inches from the surface at their extremity. Here in an enlarged chamber the pupa develops, and afterwards the beetle. The adult of C. lepida appears toward the end of June and is as perfect as can well be in its colour resemblance to the sand. It is a very weak flier, due doubtless to its being far safer on the sand in its deceiving dress than it ever would be in an attempt to escape by flight.
Lepidoptera are not very much in evidence here in June, but there are a few prizes well worth scouting for. Should we venture to the edge near the swamp we should probably see several butterflies not strictly belonging to the sand, such as our old friend (Eneis jutta, common enough farther in. Returning to the drier sand we may with good luck see a great rarity called Cop1blepharon convexipennis, though I have no records before July. This species is generally at rest on the sand and unless one is very carefully on the lookout—for it is another sand colour mimic—it will have departed almost before we are aware of its presence.
Among the spreading shoots of Salix longifolia may be found a sandy-coloured cutworm, probably A grotis aurulenta. Its work is plain enough to see, but it prefers as a resting place the cool moist sand, and may, therefore, be several inches below the surface.
Another moth very rare at this time, but common a month later, is Pseudotamila awemensis Dyar, found as yet nowhere else. Its fore-wings, like.so many other creatures found here, resembles tie sand, but the secondaries are pure black. It may be found throughout July resting on the sand, or more often on the flowers of Skeleton Weed, Lygodesmia juncea.
Among Orthoptera various species of grasshoppers are in evi- dence, chiefly, however asnymphs. Hippiscus latifasciatus is com- mon, as elsewhere, but to my eye looking rather paler than its brethren of the prairies, as if there were an attempt to harmonize just alittle with the sand. Hippiscus neglectus turns up on the edges ~ of our tree islands or upon the borders of the sand in small numbers.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 29
i i i i
Then there are various species of Melanoplus, viz. atlanis, _angustipennis, packardi, scudderi, and probably one or two others. None as yet, however, have reached the winged state. We shall also observe Ochrilidea cinerea and perhaps Amphitornus bieolor in the more grassy spots. But, the most interesting of all and the only species that can in any way be called indigenous to sand is Trimerotropis agrestis. It is present over the whole area in various stages of development, but what makes it particularly interesting is its close resemblance in colour to the sand. It seems to have an instinctive knowledge of its protective colouration, and as a result individuals will be found quite motionless often partly buried. The advantage of such protection is, of course, obvious. On a bare area such as it inhabits, contrasting colours would at once attract the attention of birds, such as crows, robins and others, found in the vicinity, but with a dress matched so perfectly detection is reduced to a minimum.
Of bees and wasps there are numbers, a rich collecting ground for a student of the Hymenoptera never as yet worked over. Among the curiosities to a novice are numbers of large semi- cylindrical cocoons originally buried, but often exposed by the winds having shifted the sand. They belong to a large clumsy predaceous wasp (Bembex pruinosa), which late in the season becomes a perfect nuisance, buzzing noisily around one’s person after flies. To those who do not know they prove quite a terror and I have seen some interesting movements due to fear of being stung. Asa matter of fact, however, they appear to be exczed- ingly harmless, and I have never observed them sting anything larger than a fly, which they use as food for their larve.
We shall also meet with numerous true flies (Diptera) though the majority of them are not indigenous to the sand but have been reared in the bog close by—tabanids are there in thousands and it is hardly safe at times to take horses into the vicinity. They do not particularly trouble mankind, however, and on the sand, males are often more plentiful than females, indeed they can be seen hovering in every sunny glade but dart away like a flash when disturbed.
A few flies, however, make their homes here. One, a very pretty Bee-fly, probably belonging to the genus Evxoprosopa, I
30 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
caught some years ago, just emerging from a spot where I had previously marked a Cicindela burrow, and as the latter was no longer present I suspect the fly of having been the cause, par- ticularly as Prof. V. E. Shelford records an allied genus as preying
upon the larve of tiger beetles. Several other species are known - to bé parasitic, and one has the distinction of destroying locust eggs.
Lastly, as part of the fauna, there is a very beautiful spider (Geolycosa) which burrows large holes in the sand, as winter approaches going down five or six feet, but at this time they are comparatively shallow and the females are often but a few inches down with a host of young clinging-to their backs. When dis- turbed with a straw they bite it savagely, and can bite hard too, but curiously enough they have a mortal dread of the various black wasps found later on, which usually paralyze and make use of them for food. I have seen the spiders make frantic efforts to escape from a wasp half their size and eventually when escape was impossible, turn over on their backs and fight, but they fought in despair with the knowledge of almost certain death awaiting them, and thus it always ended. The wasp while keeping at a safe distance was eventually able to use her sting, and soon after was dragging the spider to her burrow.
CATERPILLARS. AS WEATHER, PROPHETS:
In a Toronto newspaper there recently appeared an article taken from the ‘‘New York American,” in which a forecast is given of the weather during the approaching winter, stating that “‘after the most intense cold weather we have experienced for years we shall have a mild spell and great thaws and floods; we shall have a very late and backward spring, with real winter at the time we should have fine spring-like weather. The caterpillar shows light in front, followed witha very well-defined spot of considerable size, and this dark indicates our mid-winter snap. Then the light ap- pears again, and this indicated the warm spell, and if there was no more dark there would be a prospect of a very early spring, but : another dark spot appears toward the rear of the caterpillar, and this will bring the late and unseasonable cold at a time we should have our mild weather.”
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 31
Further on it is stated that ‘‘corn husks and the chaff of grain were heavier this season than common, and -weed seeds are ob- tained in heavier coverings than are usually noticed. Larve of insects are deeper in the earth. Field mice and other burrow- ing animals are going deeper, and bark of new wood is much thicker, and weeds are thicker where roots will need protection. All these indicate severe freezing.”
The prophet does not tell us what caterpillar he found, but if he had met with.a banded larva of the Milkweed Butterfly (Danaida plexippus), he might have foretold the whole year of uniform variations during each month, as shown by the stripes on each segment. This is the first time that predictions have been based, so far as we know, upon the markings of caterpillars.
Cis. B
BOOK REVIEW.
THe GENITALIA OF THE BRITISH GEOMETRID. By F.N. Pierce, F.E.S., The Elms, Dingle, Liverpool, Eng., 1914. Clothbound, price 10/-.
This is a companion volume to the work on the ‘Genitalia of the British Noctuidz’’ published by Mr. Pierce in 1909 and it is gratifying to learn that the reception accorded it was so encouraging that not only is the volume on the Geometers before us, but the author promises that an account of the Genitalia of the Tortricide will follow at an early date.
The superficial resemblances that exist between many species of the Geometride of Europe and those of North America and especially of Canada have led to endless muddles in our lists, some collectors and authors considering them identical while others are equally certain that they are not. Having now such excellent drawings and descriptions of these structural details of _ practically every one of the British species, made not-from one slide of each but from five or six up to over twenty specimens, and checked and rechecked by the author and his friend, the Rev. C. R. N. Burrows, F.E.S., we should be able to determine whether in our related N.A. species these structures show positively that they are distinct or that they are the same species.
32 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Turning to the book, the introduction gives the names and descriptions of the various parts, a few of which have been altered from those used in the Noctuid@, so as to adopt names which had the right of priority of usage and it is to be hoped that no further changing will be necessary.
This is followed by a classification of the British species based on the male and female genitalia, comprising 78 pages. The family is divided into two primary divisions, designated as Gnathot and A gnathoi, according to whether the gnathos is present or absent. The former comprises ten and the latter fifteen sub- families, producing an arrangement quite unfamiliar and which will no doubt give food for thought and pen to those who hold that no classification should be based on one set of characters only.
The figures of the male organs are given on 48 plates—the name of the species being printed below each drawing—a decided improvement on having numbers and a key somewhere else. In many cases the female genitalia are figured to the left of the male.
The book and its illustrations, showing not only the diversity but also the wonderful beauty of these structures as exhibited in one single family, cannot help being of the greatest interest to Lepidopterists and I am sure that the author will gladly extend to any of our readers the privilege offered the writer in a recent. letter, namely to give his assistance in forming opinions on the connections of certain species or genera.
A. F. WINN.
WE would remind our readers that subscriptions are now due, and that these and all other business matters connected with the Society or Magazine, such as advertisements, requests for back numbers, etc., should be addressed, not to the Editor, but to
THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. GUELPH, CANADA.
Mailed January 8th, 1915.
he = Ganadiay Lutomologist,
VoL. XLVII. LONDON, FEBRUARY, 1915 No. 2
FURTHER NOTES ON ALBERTA LEPIDOPTERA, WITH DESCRIPTION: OF AL NEW SPECIES:
BY F. H. WOLLEY DOD, MIDNAPORE, ALTA. (Continued from page 8.)
620. Asrotis bollii Grt.2—One female at light, September 3rd, 1904. This is the specimen mentioned by me in Can. Ent., XXXVII, p. 58, Feb. isan as ‘“‘darker and less clearly marked”’ thah Euxoa mollis, fo which [ can easily distinguish it now that I know the latter species better. Grote described the species as Agrotis hilaris from a Texas male, which is in the British Museum, but he afterwards found the name preoccupied in the genus in Europe, and substituted bollii. Sir George Hampson, however, placing the European and North American filaris in different genera, restores the prior name, which Grote never altered on the type label. The type has a black collar, which my specimen has not, and lacks a dark brown costal mark near the apex possessed by mine, which is also less grey and has the orbicular of different shape. There were no other specimens in the British Museum. A female from Huachuca Mountains, Ariz., in Smith’s ‘collection, - I think the only one he had standing as bollit, appeared more like mine, and also lacked the black collar.
621. Noctua acarnea Smith.—(Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soc. XIII, 194, Dec., 1905). Described from a ‘single male taken by Mr. Sanson at the Banff “Museum on July 11th, 1902. I examined the specimen in Smith’s collection in January, 1910, and took very careful notes thereon, as it appeared quite distinct from anything I had previously seen. Nor could I, until just before writing the present article, discover anything which might be it amongst the material sent me for naming from time to time by Mr. Sanson. But by good fortune I have before me at this moment a male in good condition taken by him on an electric light pole on July 4th, 1914, and submitted to me just in time for recording here.
34 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
It fits Smith’s description and my notes exactly, with the: exception that I should not call the discoidal spots in the recent
b]
capture “‘large,’’ and the space between them is scarcely darker than the ground. The expanse is 36 mm., a trifle smaller than the- size given of the type. It would never have occurred to me to associate the species with bicarnea at all. In type of maculation it comes much nearer to dislocata Sm., but the colour. differs en- tirely, being very even ‘dark, almost blackish brown, with a purplish tinge,’ except for bright, pale carneous patagia, and a carneous shade in and round the reniform. The apparent purplish tinge is probably really due to slight iridescence. All the tibiae are spined, the fore tibiz on the inner side only, as is often the case: with dislocata and calgary. I was unable, however, to discover any spines on the fore tibia of the type, but noted that thev were not in a position easy for examination. The antenne are minutely ciliate, and in the recent capture at any rate, rather heavily scaled as well. The eyes are without lashes. The head and thorax are thickly clothed with rough hair only, without crests. The wing form and general build is like dislocata, in which the antennal structure is similar except that dislocata has fewer scales, and rather longer ciliations. The thoracic vestiture is rather rougher than in dislocata. As far as these characters go, it seems referable to Episilia Hbn., which is used by Hampson as prior to Pachnobia Gn. and Choephora Grt. It appears to me that both calgary and dislocata, if not some others which Hampson refers to Agrotis, fit better with ‘Epizsilia, as both have loose hairy vestiture without obvious crests. But acarnea has one structural peculiarity not hitherto observed in any North American genus referred to the Agrotids except 7vichorthosia, to which this is quite distantly related. The eyes are sparsely and finely hairy. I mentioned this to Prof. Smith after examining the type, but he was unable to find the hairs and told me that J was mistaken. If I had not been very sure of my point, however, I should not have taken a note on the fact, and on examining the eyes of the recent capture I find the same. The hairs are not easily noticeable, | admit, and anyone might be excused for overlooking them. They are most easily Seen in strong sunlight. They are not much easier to find in some specimens of Perigea alfkenii, though they are finer in acarnea
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST oo.
than in that species. The apparent general relationship to dislocata and calgary led me to expect to find that these might have hairy eyes, but an examination of a considerable number of specimens has failed to reveal any.
622. N. bairdii Smith—(Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soc. XVI, 84, June, 1908). Described from a single female taken at High River by Mr. Thomas Baird. I saw and took notes on it before Fletcher recognized it in Mr. Baird’s collection as something strange and sent it to Smith. Smith says after the description: ‘‘There is no very near ally to this species. It belongs obviously to the lubricans series, and stands next aéricincta, than which it is much larger, quite different in ground colour and without the obvious transverse lines. So far as they go, however, the lines in bazrdii correspond in position with those of aéricincta.”’ I saw the specimen for the second time at Rutgers College, and noted that it was “‘rather like a large digna. Possibly an ally of exuberans. Certainly not atricincta.”’ I have certainly never met with another specimen in Alberta that could be this species.
623. N. vocalis Grt.?—Banff, July 30th, 1910. N.B. Sanson. In 4Ist Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont. for 1910 (page 10 of the ‘‘ Record’’) I erroneously recorded this specimen as vernilis. I corrected the error in Ent. News, XXIV, 361, Oct., 1918, and on page. 360 I followed Dr. Dyar in citing planifrons and congrua as synonyms. From my notes I judge my No. 623 to have been vocalis, though I cannot be quite sure of it until I see the specimen again. It was most certainly not vernilis. (q. v. No. 618).
624. Chorizagrotis boretha Smith*.—(Journ. N.Y.Ent. Soc., XVI, 86, June, 1908). Described from three males and a female from Kaslo, B. C.. I have seen a male and female type in the Rutger’s College collection. A note after Smith’s description states that it is allied to terrealis, and in a general way resembles perexcellens. J believe that the supposed relationship to terrealis was based on an erroneous identification of that species, and failed to notice any resemblance to perexcellens. 1 have two perfect females taken on my place here on Pine Creek, on Aug. 16th, 1901, and Aug. 27th, 1905, exactly alike, and beyond all doubt one species, which I have never yet succeeded in closely associating
*Breeding results have now shown that Nos. 225 and 244 of this list are . one species, sordida Smith, and in all probability forms of doretha.
36 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
with anything else listed by me in this series of papers. One of these I have compared with the types of boretha and labelled it ‘Like female type but greyer.’’ On this comparison I base the present record, but it may be as well to remark that my notes state that ‘‘The male type is almost like some ochrogaster.’’ Whereas my two females bear not the slightest resemblance to any ochro- gaster that I ever saw, my note seems to suggest that either the range of variation in boretha is very wide, or that the female type ° is not really the same species as the male.
The same Pine Creek female I also compared with the unique female type—lacking abdomen—of Porosagrotis thanatologia Dyar, from Kaslo, which I found in the Washington collection. (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., XX VII, p. 833, 1914—* Kootenai List’). I noted that it was probably the same species, but my specimen did not match it sufficiently closely to justify making a positive reference.
625. Rhizagrotis querula sp. nov.—Head,, collar, thorax, and primaries uniform pale fuscous brown, faintly olivaceous, sparsely irrorate with darker scales, but without any streakiness or contrast in shades. Lagena, to which the new species is closely allied, has the inferior portion of the collar paler than any other part of the insect, and the upper portion contrastingly dark brown, these two shades being divided by a black line, absent in querula. Lagena, in all its observed variations is longitudinally streaky, the most conspicuous streaks consisting of long, inwardly dentate or sagittate dark brown marks on the termen, which contrast with the intervening pale streaks bordering the dark veins, especially on 1, 3, 4, and 7. In querula, though there is a faint indication of a series of dark subterminal shades in the interspaces, most evident in the male type, but entirely lacking in the female, the actual terminal space is in all six specimens very slightly paler than that immediately preceding it. In querula the conjoined discoidal spots, though outlined by a pale shade and partially defined by black scales, have not the whitish annuli of Jagena, and unlike those of that species, are not contrasted by a darkening of the cell before and below them. A fine black basal streak is present in all but one, and all show indications of dark t. p. lines, produced to points on the veins, and in two of the males they are well marked, con- tinuous, some specimens showing a faint t. a. line as well. But
=
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 37
—_——$>$ $$ $$
these are occasionally discernible in Jagena. In querula the secon- daries of both sexes are slightly dull, and in the male lack the clear whiteness of those of'/agena. Antenne and all superficial structural -characters, as in Jagena. Expanse: Male 38-44 mm.; female 46 mm. (equalling /agena in size).
Described from five males and one female from the Red Deer River, about 50 miles to the north east of Gleichen, Alta. July Ist and 3rd, 1905; and July 23rd and 24th, 1907. All but one in good condition. Taken by Mr. A. F. Hudson and the author at dusk at snowberry flowers, and at treacle.
Types.—o in the collection of the author, @ in that of Dr. Wm. Barnes. I have made three of the remaining four males co-types.
This is the species which I recorded under the name /agena in 37th Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont. for 1906, p. 94, 1907, and 38th Rept., p. 121, 1908 (page 9 of the ‘“‘Record”’ for 1907). It is possible that it may turn out to be merely a variety of that species, though I have nothing suggesting an intergrade, and have no record of lagena from Canada. The type of lagena is a female from Nevada, and is figured by Hampson. I have compared it with one of my Utah specimens, of which I have a long series. I have it also from Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, and it is recorded from Montana.
626. Feltia volubilis Harv.—lI have three males and a female which I took at the Chalet lights, Laggan, on July 17th and 18th, 1907, and Mr. Sanson took a male at Banff on about June 24th, 1914. One of the males I have compared with the male type from ~ New York in the British Museum, and found it a very close match. It is of the dark red-brown form figured by Hampson, but differs from all my eastern specimens of that form in having the secondaries uniformly dark. I have one Washington and one Oregon specimen with secondaries pale as in the eastern form. On the other hand, all my eastern examples of the paler and greyer stigmosa have uniform dark secondaries in both sexes. Holland's Plate XXII, fig. 23, is of this latter form. The two forms appear to be now universally accepted as one species, though I can find no record that both have ever been bred from one. Specimens from some localities certainly appear about intermediate. For instance, [
38 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
have Manitoba males which belong to neither extreme, but have the centrally pale subhyaline secondaries of typical -volubilis.
I have a Kaslo male exactly like those from Laggan. Other Kaslo specimens have vinous red shades contrasting with a pale, sometimes almost violaceous grey ground, like typical: vancouver- ensis from Vancouver Island. But study of a long Kaslo series has left me in serious doubt as to whether vancozverensis and volubilis are really distinct. A somewhat intermediate form is that named semiclarata by Grote, of which the type is from Washington Territory. I have compared a Kaslo male with it, and found it to match exactly. A Corvallis, Oregon specimen, perhaps a trifle nearer to typical. vancouverensis than is semiclarata, | have com- pared with Strecker’s three female types of atha from’ Seattle, Washington, and believe it to be the same.
As a rule a good point of distinction between vancouverensis and volubilis is in the subterminal line. In the former this is more or less distinct, crenulate, with a fairly well marked and not very deep W. In volubilis it is often lacking, or when faintly indicated is sharply dentate, with a W reaching clear to the margin. But this character does not always hold, and where colour characters fail, as is so often the case in the material from the mountain districts inland, a positive reference to either vancouverensis or volubilis is not always possible. Dr. Dyar apparently met with this difficulty when, in the Kootenai List, after recording the capture of seventy-five specimens of vancouverensis, he follows them up with only one of volubilis, adding: ‘‘This seems to me only an extreme form of vancouverensts.’’ (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XXVII, p. 832, 1904). I should add that I have examined other Kaslo material of this group besides that in my own collection.
627. Porosagrotis orthogonia Morr. var. delorata Smith. The North-western Canadian form of orthogonia was described as a species as delorata by Smith in Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soc., XVI, p. 87, June, 1908, from a single male taken at High River by Mr. Baird. Mrs. Nicholl had taken a male which-_stands in the British Museum collection labelled ‘‘B. C. prairie 1. LX. 07,’’ though the specimen is recorded by Sir George Hampson, under orthogonia, in Can. Ent. XL, p. 102,.March, 1908, as from ‘Alberta prairie.”’. From the date, and knowledge of Mrs. Nicholl’s movements, I should judge
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 3g
Alberta to be its most probable origin. I had for some years previously had a couple of specimens in my collection from Regina, Assa. In the spring of 1911 ‘“‘cutworm” larve were reported as doing very serious damage to fodder and field crops in Southern Alberta, round Lethbridge, Monarch, etc. (42nd Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont. for 1911, p. 94 [p. 6 of the ‘‘Record’’]}—1912). Larvze sent to the Experimental Farm at Ottawa produced specimens of delorata on Aug. 14th and 20th of the same year, the specimens being sent to me for determination. I received a couple more males from Mr. Baird labelled High River, Sept. Ist, 1911, and have seen two pairs taken by Mr. J. B. Wallis at Lethbridge on Aug. 23rd to 26th, 1912. Orthogonia was described from Glencoe, Nebraska. I have: specimens from Colorado, and a very large number from Utah. The few Canadian specimens I have seen have all been more uni- formly dark olivaceous in tone than is usual with southern: examples, and have wholly dark seeondaries. Morrison's type, which I have not seen, had the “markings well expressed,’’ and - secondaries whitish inwardly. Pale secondaries are usual in my southern series, but some have them very nearly as dark as Canadi- an specimens, and differ scarcely if at all as to primaries. In short,. comparing Alberta specimens with some of my darkest from Color- rado and Utah, there is really no difference worthy of remark. f should never have considered the darkest forms to be worthy of a varietal name, but as one has been named, let delorata stand for a dark olivaceous variation of orthogonia without pale shades and with wholly dark secondaries in the male. I have previously explained that the orthogonia recorded by me with a query as No. 236 in my original notes (Can. Ent., XX XVII, p. 53, Feb. 1905) was a different species. I now believe that specimen to have been a badly worn and bleached ridingsiana.
628. Euxoa rabiata Smith.—(Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XXXVI, p. 255, Nov., 1910). Described from six males and two females from Volga, South Dakota; Colorado; and Calgary, one of the females being from the latter place, and dated Aug. 29th. I happen to have taken some notes ona group of specimens standing separated in Smith’s collection, from which, or from a selection of which the description referred to was subsequently made. Judging from these notes in conjunction with the description, I think it very
40 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
probable that the name refers to dargo Strecker (No. 237 of this list), or to a mixture of that and niveilinea. The latter species I shave never taken.
629. E. dolens Smith.—(Can.Ent., XX XVIII, p.226, Setagrotis, July, 1906); syn. guinta Smith (Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., XVIII, p. 97, Euxoa, Jan., 1908). Dolens was described from a male and two females from Beulah, Man., and Arrowhead Lake, B. C. I sawa pair of types in Smith’s collection, the male from Beulah, and the female from Arrowhead Lake. Quinta was described from three males and two females from High River (Baird), and Kaslo (Cockle), and I have seen a type from the former locality in Smith’s collection. I- made the reference in my notes after direct comparison of the types, and Smith admitted its correctness to me personally. It is a close ally of and agrees structurally with scandens Riley, which Hampson places in Lycophotia Hbn. Both species lack the tuber- culate frons of Euxoa. Compared with scandens the newer species is darker, has more distinct t. a. and t. p. lines, and uniform dark secondaries. I have a defective male from High River, dated September 7th, 1908. The dates given under the description of dolens are Arrowhead Lake, June 8-15, and Beulah, Aug. 28th. Under quinta, Kaslo, June Ist, 30th, and July 7th and 10th. No dates to the High River types.
Ouebecensis was described from a single female from Quebec, and referred doubtfully to Setagvoizs. JI have seen the type in the Washington Museum, and though I had nothing with which to compare it, I believe that this will be found to be a prior name to dolens.
630. E. septentrionalis Walk—A male at Lethbridge on Aug. 21st, 1912, by Mr. Wallis. This is the only example taken in Alberta that: I have seen, which I have been quite certain was this species, and all the records I have seen under the name from other places in Canada east of the Rockies have proved erroneous upon investigation. It is a species sometimes very closely resem- bling messoria, so closely in fact as to make separation very difficult, but it is undoubtedly distinct, as listed by Hampson, who correctly makes incubita Smith asynonym. Tt issometimes very common on Vancouver Island. Another very closely resembling, though smaller species, is pesfiula Smith. (My Nos. 249 and 265).
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 4]
[631. E. rufula Smith.—In Prof. Smith’s collection I found a specimen marked ‘‘rufula Smith Xd type,” and bearing label “Ft. Calgary, N. W. B. C."’ Smith told me, however, that the accuracy of the label was doubtful. That is to say, that it is doubtful whether the specimen was really taken at Calgary, which, though formerly a fort, was never in B. C. Rufula is not a synonym of infausta as listed by both Smith and Hampson, but is the species figured by Hampson, I think erroneously, as basiflava.]
632. E. compressipennis Smith.—A female taken at Banff, at light, on Aug. 19th, 1909. In 41st Rept. Ent. Soc. Ont. for 1910 (page 11 of the ‘‘Record’’), 1911, I recorded the specimen as basiflava, and an added note says: ‘‘ This was described from N. W. B. C. Compressipennis was described from Yosemite, B. C. The types are identical.” That note unfortunately contains two in- accuracies. Compressipennis was described from Yosemite, Cali- fornia, which I feel convinced was the statement that I sent into print. But “the types are identical’? was my own unguarded statement. What I should have said was that the male type of compressipennis in the Washington Museum was _ absolutely identical with the female type of basiflava in the same collection. The latter was described from ‘‘North West British Columbia” (possibly meaning the Alberta Rockies—who can tell?), I think from a single pair only. I had previously seen the male type also in the Neumoegen collection in the Brooklyn Museum, and do not feel confident that it is the same species, and must therefore modify my positive reference until I can positively identify the male type.
633. E. obeliscoides Gn. and var. infusa Smith.—Infusa was described as a species from two males, from Cartwright, Man., and Black Hills, Wyo. The Cartwright specimen is the type in the Washington Museum. The other I have not seen. A note after the description adds: ‘‘The species is really obeliscoides without the contrasting costa, and with the t. p. line lost so that there is an almost even shade below the cell from t. a. line to outer margin; the terminal space being scarcely deeper. The ground colour and general variation in tint are as in obeliscoides, but the species is perceptibly smaller.”
Obeliscoides is not rare at Cartwright, and most specimens that I have seen from there entirely lack the red-brown shades of
42 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Guenée’s type and of Grote’s sexatilis. I have no note as to whether the type of imfusa lacks them, and they occasionally exist in Mani- _toba specimens, but it was not on their absence that the supposed species was based. The costa is not usually very contrasting and occasionally the t. p. line is very indistinct, so I suppose Smith’s name should stand for a rather small form possessing these characters, which are not characteristic of the prairie race as a whele.
I have a female taken here on September 2nd, 1907, to which the varietal name seems applicable, and have seen a male of the species taken at Lethbridge by Mr. Wallis on August 8th, 1912.
It is practically impossible to distinguish some Manitoba females from some of that sex of British obelisca Hbn. in my posses- sion, though North American males appear to have finer antennal serrations than males of obelisca.
634. E. colata Grt—I saw a male in Smith’s collection labelled ‘‘Laggan, 6,800 ft.,’”’ presumably from Bean. A male taken by Mrs. Nicholl at 8,000 ft. on Wilcox Peak is in the British Museum, and is evidently the same species as the female type there from Mt. Hood, Oregon. A third male, in splendid condition, was taken by Mr. Sanson on the summit of Sulphur Mt., Banff, about 7,200 ft. The species appears to be more closely allied to mollis than to divergens, with which Grote associated it.
(To be continued.) SOME CHALCIDOID HYMENOPTERA FROM NORTH QUEENSLAND. BY A. A. GIRAULT, NELSON (CAIRNS), AUSTRALIA. (Continued from page 20.) Family ELASMID/. Genus Elasmus Westwood. 1. Elasmus marsgiscutellum, n. sp.
Female.—tLength 1.70 mm.
Dark metallic green, the distal margins of mesopostscutellum and the scutellum margined with lemon yellow. Sides of thorax and legs black, the tegule, knees, tarsi and distal half or less of
intermediate and cephalic femora pale yellowish white, the antennz February,1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 43
brownish. Abdomen with base concolorous transversely and also the distal fourth, the rather long intervening portion orange vellow marked along each side (from both dorsal and ventral aspects) with a longitudinal row of from 3 to 4 black dots. Wings subhyaline. Mandibles with eleven teeth, the first two large, the others minute. First ring-joint very short. First funicle joint longer than the pedicel, the distal one only slightly longer than the pedicel but longer than any of the club joints.
Male—Not known.
Described from one female captured by sweeping the forest growths on Mount Pyramid (1500—2500 feet), June 2, 1913 (A. P. Dodd).
Habitat.—Australia—Nelson (Cairns), Queensland.
Type.—The above female on a tag and a slide with the head. 2. Elasmus orientalis, n. sp.
Female.—Length 1.57 mm.
Like pallidicornis Girault, but the antennal concolorous with the body, the scape (except slightly above) pale brown. and the cephalic ‘tibiz are white; also the knees. Moreover, the funicle joints are subequal, all distinctly longer than wide and each a little longer than the pedicel.
Male.—Not known.
Described from one female captured by sweeping in a jungle, May 18, 1913 (A. P: Dodd:).
Habitat.—Australia—Kuranda, Queensland.
TF vpe.—The above specimen on a card or tag.
Family CHALCIDID/. CHALCITELLINI. Genus Chalcitelloides Girault. 1. Chalcitelloides nigrithorax, n. sp.
Female.—Length 2.60 mm.
Black but like the type species (n7zgriscutum) except that only the scape, pedicel and first four funicle joints are red; abdomen blood red, but black above and along upper half of each side (a little proximad of middle), the petiole black; tegulae and legs (except coxee) blood red, the hind femur with a long rounded black spot centrally. Antenne 11-jointed. Fore wings lightly stained.
44 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
Funicle joints after the first wider than long, the rather indistinctly sutured first club joint shorter than the other joint of that part; joints of funicle widening distad, the flagellum clavate. Punctures of thorax not densely confluent, separated. (Median carina of propodeum not seen distinctly).
Male.—Not known.
Described from one female captured from a window, Novem- ber 4, 1912.
Habitat——Australia—Proserpine, Queensland.
Type.—The above specimen on a tag and a slide bearing the head, a fore and a hind leg.
The antenne of this genus were originally described as being 10-jointed, but a re-examination of the type, shows that its club. is 2-jointed, the black portion being the distal or second joint.
Family AGAONIDE. Genus Agaon Dalmar.
1. Agaon nigriventre, n. sp.
Female —Length 2.20 mm., excluding ovipositor, which is: exserted for a length about equal to that of the abdomen.
Orange yellow, the posterior margin of the head, flagellum, all of the abdomen except at base, an hour-glass shaped marking down meson of pronotum and cephalic part of scutum (a smaller end cephalad; shaped like an inverted egg-cup), a stripe across apex. of thorax (about apex of scutellum), the tegula and a dot in a iine longitudinally with them, cephalad (opposite the apex of the egg- cup-shaped marking) jet black; also the valves of the ovipositor. Agreeing with all the characters of the genus as given by Ashmead, but the mandibles bidentate at apex (but four teeth or even five in all), the antenne 9-jointed without a ring-joint, the scape hemi- spherically dilated (foliaciously). First and second funicle joints subequal, longer, longer than the pedicel, which is subequal to the distal funicle joint. Postmarginal vein longer than either mar- ginal and stigmal, the latter shortest. Wings hyaline. Body glabrous.
Male——Unknown.
Described from one female received from the South Australian. Museum, Adelaide, mounted on a card labelled ‘““A. M. Lea.”’
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 45
Habitat.—Australia—Mount Tambourine, Queensland. Type.—The above specimen, the head on a slide.
Family PTEROMALID. SPHEGIGASTEINI..-
Eurydinotomorpha, new genus.
Female—Closely allied with Eurydinotella Girault but the abdomen is long, pointed conic-ovate, the second segment occupying only about a fifth (or slightly more) of the surface, the abdomen longer than the head and thorax united. Postmarginal vein very long, over twice the length of the stigmal. First funicle joint longest, longer than the pedicel. Propodeum with abbreviated median and lateral carinee. Parapsidal furrows a little over half complete. Second abdominal segment nearly four times the length of the third, the fourth nearly twice the length of the third, subequal to segment 5, segment 6 a little longer than 4 and 5 while 7 is apparently as long as, or longer than, 2. Petiole distinct, but short. Caudal margin of abdominal segments straight. The genus has the habitus of Sympiesits of the Eulophide.
Male.—Not known. Type.—tThe following species.
1. Eurydinotomorpha pax, n. sp. Female.—Length 3.00 mm.
Metallic shining blue, the abdomen «neous green, purple dorsad, the wings hyaline, the venation tarsi, tips of tibia and scape pale yellow, the femora and tibiz reddish brown, the coxe concolorous. Pedicel ‘and first ring-joint suffused with pallid. First club joint forming over half the club, subequal to the third funicle joint which is a fourth longer than the pedicel. Short white hairs on mesoscutum giving an effect somewhat as is com- mon with species of Catolaccus. Head and thorax reticulated, the propodeum more densely so, the network smaller, the abdomen finely so. Funicle and club black.
Male —Unknown.
Described from one female captured by sweeping in jungle, October 28, 1911.
Habitat —Australia—Babinda (near Cairns), N. Queensland.
46 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Type.—The above specimen on a tag and a slide with hind legs and the head.
Family MISCOGASTERID. PIRENINZA.
Erotolepsiella, new genus.
Female.—Running to Erotolepsia Howard, but the stigmal and postmarginal veins extremely long, subequal, each over three- fourths the length of the marginal, the antennal pedicel somewhat shorter than the solid club, the eyes naked or nearly so. There is _a single ring-joint and the first funicle joint is subquadrate and ‘narrower than the others, the second and third joints longest. Fore wings banded. Cephalic femur somewhat swollen, but simple. Mandibles tridentate. Parapsidal furrows complete, deli- cate. Abdomen pointed conic-ovate, the second segment longest but occupying only about a third of the surface, its caudal margin entire. Propodeum with a neck but with no carine, rugose, the scutellum with a not very distinct cross-furrow before apex. Abdo- men with a short, stout petiole. Antenne 11-jointed. With the | habitus of the Pteromalide. =
Male—Unknown.
Type.—tThe following species.
1. Erotolepsieila bifasciata, n. sp. Female.—Length 1.80 mm.
Purplish brown, the tip of the abdomen ringed narrowly with white, the distal part of metathorax and the short abdominal petiole also white. Legs concolorous; the: tarsi yellowish white, the antenne concolorous. _ Fore wings with two conspicuous black- brown bands across them, the first narrow and from the bend of the submarginal!l vein, the second very broad and from the stigmal vein. Thorax punctate.
Male—Not known.
Described from a single female captured by sweeping in jungle, (October 28, 1911.
Habitat—Australia—Babinda, North Queensland.
7 ype——The above specimen on a tag and a slide with the head and posterior tibia.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST, 47
Family CALLIMOMID. MEGASTIGMIN. Genus Neomegastigmus Girault. 1. Neomegastigmus collaris, n. sp.
Female.— Length 1.35 mm., excluding the ovipositor, which is about equal to the abdomen in length.
Like lividus, but the ovipositor is shorter and the pronotum pale orange yellow; also the legs are whiter, not pale lemon yellow. The scutellum is uniformly sculptured in both species, like the rest of the mesonotum. Also the head is dark orange yellow. Abdo- men subsessile.
Male.—Not known. .
Described from a single female captured by sweeping in open forest (grasses), March 11, 1912.
Habitat —Australia—Thursday Island, Torres Strait.
Type.—The above specimen on a tag, the head on a slide:
2. Neomegastigmus petiolatus, n. sp.
Female.—Length 1.95 mm., excluding the black exsexted valves of the ovipositor, which are about two-thirds the length of the abdomen.
Orange yellow, the abdomen (its short, distinct petiole pallid), propodeum and distal third of scutellum purplish black. Fuscous spot from stigma large, nearly a band across the wing. Caudal margin of segments 2-4 of abdomen incised at meson, the incision large, wide on segment 2, minute on segment 4. Cephalic legs (femur and distad) pale the others concolorous with the abdomen, but all tarsi pale, the antenne straw yellow; funicle joints all shorter than the pedicel. Thorax densely reticulated and transversely lineolated.
Male—Not known.
Described from one female captured by sweeping lantana and other bushes in a field near town, October 21, 1911.
Habitat—Australia—Mackay, Queensland.
Type.—The above specimen on a tag and a slide bearing the head. .
3. Neomegastigmus lividus Girault.
One female by sweeping lantana and other bushes in a meadow
near the town of Mackay, Queensland, October 21, 1911.
48 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
IDARNIN#&.
Genus Philotrypesis Foerster. 1. Philotrypesis longiventris, n. sp.
Female.— Length 2.75 mm., exclusive of the ovipositor. Brownish black, the legs including the coxe yellowish brown, the wings hyaline; sides and venter of abdomen yellowish brown. Scape concolorous with the legs, the flagellum black, the black pedicel subequal to the first funicle joint, the next two (joints 2 and 3) funicle joints subequal, each a little shorter than 1; distal funicle joint a little longer than each of the three club joints. Cly- peal area yellow. Mandibles bidentate. Body, including propodeum and abdomen, finely scaly, the propodeum without a median carina.
Male.—Unknown.
Described from one female captured by sweeping in a jungle pocket, June 4, 1913.
Habitat—Australia—Nelson (Cairns), Queensland.
Type.——The above specimen on a tag, the head on a slide.
Genus Sycoscaptella Westwood. 1. Sycoscaptella angela, n. sp.
Female.—Length 2.26 mm., excluding the black ovipositor, which is nearly as tong as the body.
Deep pinkish orange, the wings hyaline, the legs and scape concolorous, the flagellum dusky. Three transverse black spots across meson of abdomen, the first smallest, all more or less tri- angular; also a black dot at meson, apex of fifth segment and which is nearly joined to the narrow black dorsal surface of the (following) two produced or tubular segments of which the second is shorter. Postmarginal vein longer than the stigmal. Propodeum with three delicate sulci at meson, separate, the scutellum simple, but both it and the scutum with a median longitudinal impression. Thorax finely reticulated. Antenne 13-jointed, three ring and club joints, the funicle joints only slightly longer than wide and more or less — equal. Mandibles bidentate.
Male— Unknown.
Described from one female captured by sweeping in forest, November 6, 1912.
Habitat.—Australia—Ayr, Queensland.
T ype.—The above specimen on a tag and a slide with the head.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 49
NOTES FROM OTTAWA.
Mr. H. F. Hudson, Field Officer of the Entomological Branch, in charge of the Entomological Laboratory at Strathroy, Ont., has given up his Entomological work and has joined the First Battery of the Canadian Field Artillery of the Second Contingent which is expected to leave for England for service abroad early in 1915. He is now in training, with his company at London, Ont. The good wishes of his many Entomological friends will go with him.
Mr. J. B. Gareau has been appointed a Field Officer and In- spector of the Entomological Branch and commences his duties on January Ist. Mr: Gareau is a graduate of the Quebec Forestry School and during the last two years has been an officer of the Forest Service of British Columbia. He has also studied under Prof. Kellogg at Stanford University, California from which institution he was appointed. Mr. Gareau will continue the work formerly carried on by Mr. Hudson.
POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. DEFORMED APPLES AND THE CAUSES. BY L. CAESAR, GUEL£H, ONT.
It is a very common occurrence in almost every district to find apples that are so deformed that they have*to be rejected as culls. Neglected orchards have usually, as oné would expect, the greater proportion of such fruit; there are, however, exceptions where the best cared-for orchards suffer severely. Although most of the causes of these deformities have now been discovered there are still some cases that have not yet been solved.
Insect Injuries as a Cause.
The chief insects to which malformed apples may be attributed are Plum Curculio, Apple Curculio, Leaf-bugs or Capsids, Aphids, Apple Maggot or Railroad Worm, Leaf-rollers and Green Fruit- worms. Each of these will now be discussed in turn.
Plum Curculio. Many apples and pears are deformed as a result of the egg-laying and early feeding habits of this small snout-beetle. The injury in such cases is done while the fruit is
still small. The eggs in.these apples or pears either fail to hatch February, 1915 :
50 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
or the young larve die very early, because if they live, the fruit almost always falls prematurely. The malformation is due to the tissues immediately around the injured area not growing or growing very slowly while the rest of the apple gfows at the normal rate; therefore a depression is produced at the affected part. There are often several such depressions in a fruit. There is usually a scar at the point of injury. Uncultivated and neglected orchards and those bordering on woods or thickets or waste places are regularly much worse attacked than well cultivated and sprayed ones.
Apple Curculio. This is also a snout-beetle. It is smaller than the Plum Curculio, and has a longer and more slender snout. With this it eats deep holes into the fruit for feeding and egg-laving purposes. As in the case of the Plum Curculio, apples usually drop early if the larve from the eggs hatch and live; otherwise they remain on the tree, but are deformed in the manner shown in the photo- graph. Note the regular inverted, cone - shaped outline of the depression with the little hole at
Fig. 1.—The work of the Apple Curculio. Notic2
the little holes at the bottom of the punctures the apex. This helps in and the uniform inverted con2 type : ie . of the depression. the identification of the
injury. Apple Curculios
are not very common in most parts of Canada, but there are a few counties in which thev do much damage.
Leaf-Bugs or Capsids. These insects have in recent years been found to be the cause of a large number of deformed apples in the Northern United States and in parts of Canada. At least five species are now known to cause malformed apples, viz., Hetero-
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST Luh
cordylus malinus, Lygidea mendax, Neurocolpus nubilus, Paracala- coris colon and Lygus invitus. The injuries in each case are made . while the fruit is still small and are caused by the nymphs or young bugs making deep punctures into it with their needle-like mouth
Fig. 2.—Work of Capsids or Leaf-bugs on apples. This is done when the apples are very small.
-
parts. The juice is sucked out through these punctures. Very severely injured apples usually drop off. The remainder hang on but are often much distorted in consequence of the punctures received. The nymphs of the first two species are red and easily seen; those of the others are usually greenish or brownish green colour, and are more likely to escape observation. The addition of a tobacco extract, such as Black-leaf 40, to the regular Codling Moth spray will do much to destroy these insects.
Aphids. Most fruit growers are familiar with the clusters of small woody, more or less deformed apples caused by these sucking insects. Wherever the aphids feed upon a young apple, they leave little depressions or dimples. In many cases these depressions disappear with the growth of the apple. The peculiar tenacity with which a badly infested cluster of fruit hangs on the
qn IND
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Fig. 3.—Cluster of small, woody, deformed apples, caused by the feeding of Aphids on twigs, leaves and fruit.
tree seems to be the result of the small amount of food and sap that the fruit and fruit stems receive in consequence of the feeding of the insects on the leaves and new growth of the branch that bears the cluster. Such Bape starvation produces tough tissues in stems and fruit.
Apple Maggot or Railroad Worm.—lIf the fruit is only slightly infested with this insect it seldom produces any notice- able deformity except the very small depressions where the eggs are laid, but if the infestation is severe almost every apple on the tree may be rendered unsightly by ridges and bulges on the surface. These are partly the result of numerous egg punctures and partly of the death and therefore failure to grow of tissues here and there just beneath the skin wherever the larve happened to tunnel when feeding.
|
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 53
a aoe
Leaf-Rollers and Green Fruit Worms.—These are greenish caterpillars that attack the apples soon after they are formed and frequently eat deep holes in them. As the apples grow these injuries callous over but are often so deep that the fruit is dis- torted and cannot be marketed. Any other biting insect that eats out similar areas may also cause a deformed fruit.
Other Causes of Deformities.
Although most of the deformities of apples are caused by insects, a number is due to some of the following factors: Frost injury, fungus diseases, imperfect fertilization, Bitter Pit disease or spray injury.
Frost Injury.—Fruit recently set may become partly frozen
_ with the result that the injured area will fail to develop normally
and a malformed apple will be produced. It is claimed that frost injury to blossom buds may also cause deformed fruits.
Fungous Diseases. Any fungus disease, such as Apple Scab, which attacks one side of the apple much worse than the other, will by interfering with the growth of that side cause a deformity.
Bitter Pit Disease.—This is a disease of apples due neither to a fungus nor a bacterium, but so far as known to weather con- ditions. Good growing weather in spring, or early summer followed by drought, seems in Ontario to be. the.. chief. . cate. Soil conditions and the individuality of the tree are. apparently contributing factors. The disease takes various forms; some- times the apples look quite sound but, when ~ cut open, are found to have dry dead areas here and there through them; at other times, especially in the case of Baldwins, the sur-
Fig. 4.—Duchess Apple deformed by a very severe attack : . sh i re nee: Bitter Pit are ae : : face> 1s pitted with
54 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
small depressed areas that are at first somewhat darker in colour than the rest of the epidermis and later turn brown; in still other cases the injury inside the fruit is so severe that the whole apple becomes much distorted and unfit for use. This last kind of injury is not nearly so common as either of the others.
Imperfect Fertilization.—If during the blossom period one or more of the pistils of the fruit fails to be fertilized the result is often a lop-sided or malformed fruit.
Spray Injury.—Sometimes spray mixtures, especially Bor- deaux, injures a portion of the epidermis of a young fruit and, if the injury is sufficiently deep, will cause an interruption in the growth of that side and consequently a deformity. The failure of the surface over these injuries to keep pace with the growth of the tissues beneath often leads to its becoming cracked.
A NEW. SPEGIES OF “THE! CENUS, NEPHROCERUS. BY CHARLES W. JOHNSON, BOSTON, MASS.
The determination of the two American species of this genus has presented some difficulties owing to the dearth of material and to their.close resemblance to some of the European species. Through the kindness of Mr. Frederick Knab, I have been able to study both sexes of N. daeckei and the specimen of the undescribed species collected by Mrs. A. T. Slosson, on Mt. Washington, N. H., in 1897. During the past two seasons six specimens of the latter have been collected, thus giving ample material to define more clearly our two species. :
The following table, including the three European species will show some of the structural characters separating them from the American species :—
TABLE OF SPECIES.
1. Last tarsal joints of all the legs without conspicuously long, bristly hairs, arista entirely black...../.............. lapponica Zett.
Last tarsal joints of all the legs with 4-7 long, bristly hairs........ 2
2. Hind tibiae rather twisted, widened at the end, and with a euele- of. bristles. at the tip...2. 2. oan ee flavicornis Zett.
~
February, 1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST vo
Hind tibize simple, not noticeably widened at the ends, and without,a circlesot-bristles atsthie tip:. asec aic. creek 3
3. Arista entirely black, third joint of the antenne small, PDEQOWI A555, Shane Sete oes eae es ee ane ea scutellatus Macq.
Arista with the thickened basal portion yellow, antenne entirely bbighe vellowe aa mime ha eee ai’ clr es nage! oie taint +
4. Abdomen with two distinct bands in both sexes; upper half of fronimoretemate: linear, i. Sébico.s lo eciess sc h daecke1 Johns.
Abdomen indistinctly banded in the male, in the female the lateral margins are yellow, upper half of the front of the ferme snOUAIMEAT conc 3 Ah elke: dee ee slosson@ sp. Nn.
Nephrocerus daeckei Johnson.
N. daeckei Johns., Ent. News, Vol. XIV, p. 107, 1903.
In this species the sexes are so similar that one of the co-types before me was inadvertently referred to as a male, probably be- cause the front is so narrow. For about one-half its length it is a mere line. The sides of the first and the posterior margins of the second and third abdominal segments are widely margined with yellow. The wings are proportionately broader and not of equal width as in the following species.
In addition to the types from Richmond Hill, Long. Island, N. Y., July 2, 1901, I have examined two males from Plummer’s Island, Md., June 29, 1913 (R. E. Shannon), and one female, Franconia, N. H. (Mrs. Slosson) in the U. S. National Museum.
Nephrocerus slossone, sp. n.
Nephrocerus, n. sp. Ent. News, Vol. VIII, p. 237, 1897.
Male.—Face and front covered with silvery white tomentum, vertical triangle and occiput black, grayish pruinose, occipital orbits deeply emarginate, mouth parts and antenne light yellow, arista black, the thickened base light yellow. Thorax, discal portion black, shining, the anterior third covered with a grayish bloom, humeri, broad lateral stripes, and the scutellum, yellow, the latter much darker than the humeri, pleura livid, a lighter
56 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
area below the base of the wing bearing a small black spot, metan- otum black. Abdomen black, shining, thinly covered with quite long yellow hair, with conspicuous tufts on the sides of the first segment, sides of the first and the posterior margins of the second and third segments brownish, hypopygium brown, the two large rounded glands diverted to the right, with a black, spirally coiled “flagellum” below. Legs and halteres light yellow, the long bristles at the end of the last tarsal joints four in number, posterior tibie nearly straight, not noticeably thickened and without bristles. Wings long, narrow, of nearly equal width, grayish hyaline, pos- terior branch of the fifth longitudinal vein scarcely reaching the margin, tegulz yellow.
Length 8 mm., wing 9 mm.
Female.—Front narrow below the vertex, gradually widening above the antenne, about four times its width at the vertex. Thorax similar to that of the male except that the pleura are light vellow with small black point below the base of the wing, and black spots between the coxe, disc of the scutellum and the metan- otum blackish. Abdomen dark vellow, with an irregular, broad dorsal line of black constricted at the margins and covering about one-third of each of the first five segments, the fourth and fifth segments also narrowly margined posteriorly with black, sixth and seventh segments and the hook-like ovipositor entirely yellow.
Length 7.5, wing 8.5 mm.
Five males amd two females. Holotype, allotype and one paratype, Bretton Woods, N. H., June 25 and 28, 1913 (C. W. Johnson), and one paratype (oc), Mt. Washington above Base Station, N. H., July 4, 1914 (C. A. Frost), in the collection of the Boston Society of Natural History. One paratype (co) summit of Mt. Washington (Mrs. Slosson) in U. S. National Museum. One paratype (co) Bretton Woods, June 28, in Museum of Comparative Zoology, and one (oc) Mt. Washington above Base Station, July 4, in the author’s collection. The specimens collected by Mrs. Slosson and one of those collected by Mr. Frost have the abdomen entirely black.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. aif
AN IMPORTED RED SPIDER ATTACKING FRUIT : TREES: BY L. CAESAR, PROVINCIAL ENTOMOLOGIST, GUELPH, ONT.
For some time the writer had suspected that the Red Spider so common on fruit trees in Ontario was not our common species, Tetranychus bimaculatus. Accordingly specimens were sent in September, 1912, to Mr. Nathan Banks of the Bureau of Ento- mology, Washington, D. C., with some details as to the extent of its distribution and the food plants attacked. In reply Mr. Banks stated that the species was Tetranychus pilosus, an European species that attacks fruit trees, and that its relationship to Tetrany- chus mytilaspidis, which feeds chiefly on oranges, was very close and, perhaps, identical.
Tetranychus pilosus is about the same size as bimaculatus, but differs from it in several respects:—It is more nearly circular in outline, somewhat stouter and has a number .of distinct white tuber- cles on the dorsal surface, with a fine hair arising from each. It is dark red in colour, many specimens being blackish, with the mouth parts and usually a dorsal longi- tudinal area much paler than the rest of the upper surface, whereas the colour of 7. bimaculatus varies © from greenish yellow to red. The latter species feeds largely on the lower surface beneath a fine silken
; ; web, in or under the protection of
Fig. 5.—Tetranychus pilosus. adult female, 2 : a greatly enlarged. which it lays its eggs; the former
(Drawn by Miss M. Hearle.) d
feeds and lays its eggs on both surfaces, and makes no web, but fastens its eggs by a few fine silken threads to the leaf or twig on which they are laid. The eggs are uniformly blood red, while those of bimaculatus are pearly white. 7. pilosus passes the winter in the egg stage, these being deposited in the axils of the twigs and branches. 7. bimaculatus passes the winter as adults in the ground or in sheltered hiding
places. . February, 1915
58 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST,
SEE nnn. —$——. $s $s
The host plants of 7. pilosus so far as observed are the Euro- pean plum, apple, sour cherry, pear, peach and hawthorn. Euro- pean plums are by far the favorites, with apples next and then sour cherries. Peaches and Japanese plums are very little infested. Hawthorns in a few apparently exceptional cases have been severely attacked. ;
The foliage of badly infested trees becomes covered with numer- ous fine, whitish blotches _ very noticeable on the upper surface. After a time such leaves become ' brownish and at a distance of a hundred yards or more the whole of the foliage has the appearance
Fig. 6. — Tetranychus bimaculatus, adult : : Boe sea e specathy exile ped of being covered with fine road
(Drawn by Miss M. Hearle.) dust.
This hitherto unrecorded Red Spider has been found by the writer in most of the fruit districts of the Province. That it has not been mentioned earlier appears to have been due to its close resemblance to our common species, Tefranychus bimaculatus.
GEOMETRID NOTES.—REVISION OF -THE GENUS HYDRIOMENA, HUB., GROUP WITH LONG PAEPI.
BY L. W. SWETT, BOSTON, MASS. (Continued from page 11,)
17. Hydriomena bistriolata Zell. (Verh. zool.—bot. Ges. Wien, XXII, p. 493, 1872; Packard, Monograph, p. 95, ‘1876, Pl. VIII, fig. 32). This species with long palpi was placed in- correctly as a variety of H. californiata with which it has nothing in common. The general ground colour is dark olive-green and white. It is quite a striking species, as the entire wing seems to be surrounded with olive green and has a white mesial space. It appears like a specimen of autumnalis with the entire wing suffused
with dark olive-green and the white central portion contrasting February, 1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 59
sharply. There is a tendency for the extra-discal bands to unite at the inner margin of the wing. The entire outer margin is olive- green, not lighter near the outer margin as is usual. The median band is much wider than usual and the basal runs almost straight across the wing, slightly curved outward. The intradiscal band is strongly notched on the fore wing at vein 2. This seems to be a rare species and is in few collections. The specimens referred to in the Packard monograph from Kentucky and Missouri I do not think belong to this species, as the Kentucky specimen is autumnalis, while the Missouri specimen is not in the collection, -but was probably returned to the sender, Dr. Riley, and should be in the National Museum collection at Washington. The palpi are very stout and the head is rather broad, so that it could not possibly be confused with autumnalis, and how it should be referred to the latter I cannot guess. I believe it is strictly Texan.
Types—1 o& 10, Dallas, Tex., March 16 (Boll).
Type——1 2 Texas (Boll) in Zeller collection.
It is a striking species and can be confused with no other.
18. Hydriomena reégulata Pears. (Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash; Vol. XI, p. 131, 1909).
This is a peculiar species with olive and liver coloured shadings and has a little less than usual the general appearance of the Hydriomena group. The markings are not common for the Hydriomena, as I know of no other with liver coloured shadings, and I believe it to be rare, as the specimens in Mr. R. F. Pearsall’s collection are all I have seen. It has no discal spots on primaries, the secondaries dusky and shaded with vellow brown.
Types.—2 o's, Douglas Ariz., Aug. 22 and 23, 1908.
19. Hydriomena edenata Swett. (Can. Ent., Vol XLI, p. 232, July, 1909).
This species is a large broad-winged one, on the pattern of ruberata Freger. It has a wide black bar just above inner margin of primaries which serves to separate it from ruberata, besides the other differences which I have already pointed out in the description. There is an error in the original description (Can. Ent., vol. XLI, p. 232, July, 1909), which I overlooked until now. Instead of ‘‘5 males’ read ‘5 females,’ and instead of
60 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
‘‘Eden Vale, Colo.” read ‘‘Eden Vale, Calif.’’ This species seems to have quite a wide range and is more common than the others. I had specimens from Mr. E.-H. Blackmore, Victoria, B. C., and have heard that a specimen was even taken in Newfoundland, but cannot verify it. .
Tvpe—I1 92 in my collection, 4 Qs, Mr. Broadwell’s col- lection; 1 @ in Mr. J. G. Grossbeck’s collection, which was sent me to compare.
H. edenata is an early species on the wing, occuring from April 5 to May 4, 1918, at Victoria.
20. Hydriomena chiricahuata Swett (Can. Ent., Vol. XLI,
p. 231, July, 1909, Barnes and McD., Contrib: Nat. Hist. Lepid. North Am., Vol. I, No. 4, 1912.) . This species is figured by Drs. Barnes and McD. in their valuable work, in which a clear idea of the markings is given. It is quite a small and slender species and has a peculiar narrow mesial line, and the line on hind wings show only as dots. This is a very rare species and does not approach any other very closely, unless it looks superficially like a small barnesata with narrow mesial space.
Types—2 o&, Huachuca Mts. and Chiricahua Mts., Ariz., in Dr. Barnes’ collection.
20. Hydriomena similaris Hulst, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc.,’ Vol. XXIII, 1896, p. 284.
This. species is very closely allied to ruberata, from which it is difficult to distinguish. There is a peculiar pale blue and faded rusty look to the bands in similaris, while in ruberata they are bold and well defined and either smoky or brick red as the type species. Similaris occurs in June and July, while ruberata, to my knowledge, is only found in early May. This is rather a common form in Nevada, and, strange to say, is correctly labelled in most collections. How far it varies I cannot say, as my material has been somewhat limited, though it is not a rare species.
Type.—Colorado, Mr. Graef.
22. Hydriomena ruberata Freyer (Neu. Beit. Schmett.. Vol. Tsp: 67 ,,pl. 36, fis. 2; 1831):
This little-understood species was first determined for Rev. G. W. Taylor by Mr. Lewis B. Prout of London, England.’ Mr.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 61
Wolley Dod in his list (Can. Ent., Vol. XX XVIII, p. 253, 1906) also recorded it from Alberta. It did not seem to be clearly understood in Europe, for several of the older authors speak about varieties of autumnalis with long palpi and reddish markings. Freiherr Von Hoyningen-Heune in the Berl. Ent. Zeit., Vol. LI, p. 255, 1906, says that it is confounded with autumnalis in the ma- jority of collections in Europe. It seems strange that Guenée and Packard did not note the length of the palpi, which would have separated it at a glance. The typical ruberata Freyer has a rust-red shading to the bands that cross the wings and rather a narrow mesial space; the mesial band, however, is quite wide. The discal dots are small and linear, and the hind wings are light ashen with two heavy, dark curved bands. Mr. Prout believes we have the true ruberata here in North America, as I sent him specimens to compare with European examples, and I have also specimens from Europe in my collection, which run very close to ours. I have not compared the genitalia as yet, and until that is done we can not be sure of its standing. There are several varieties which I am inclined to think occur in North America, namely, literata Donov. and griscens Hoyningen-Heune. Ruberata flies to light in New England in early May, and is more common in the mountainous districts, therefore I am inclined to believe it will be met with more commonly northward.
Hydriomena ruberata var. (a) literata Donov. (Brit. Ins., Vol. XIV, 1808, p. 80, pl. 499, fig. 2, 1810; Speyer. Stett. Ent. Pete epk( al: 1872). :
Literata in the plate has white spots at ends of the veins, clear mesial space with discal spot like the letter T reversed. The discal spot does not seem to me a sufficient basis upon which to establish a variety, but the author’s statement that it lacks the reddish markings and is grayish, that the bands are of the colour of the wings, and that it resembles autumnalis, except in the palpi, — appears to justify its status as a variety. A form occurs here that is grayish without the red markings, and possibly it had better be referred to this variety until more is known of ruberata.
Hydriomena ruberata Var. (b) griscens Hoyningen Heune (BerlEnt: Zeit., Vol. LY: p; -257,- 1906).
62 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
This variety is a unicolorous gray and the bands and red shadings are lacking. It is like the unicolorous variety of autumnalis.
Hydriomena ruberata Var. (c) glaucata Packard (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XVI\.20, 1874> Catal: of:thetPhatofe€ alic fornia, No. 2, Boston, Dec., 1873, Pl. I, fig. 6; Monograph p. 96, 1876).
The type is not in the Museum of Comp. Zool. at Cam- bridge, Mass., and I suppose therefore that it was returned to Edwards, its sender, as was Packard’s custom, and should be in the American Museum of Natural History, New York. There is a specimen in the Edwards collection in the American Museum, New York, that answers closely to the description and figure,but unfortunately the head is missing, the most important part. The piece torn from the wing is as in the figure and the lines correspond, but it is impossible to tell where it belongs without the head. The plate is fairly clear and the figure shows the long beak-like palpi, and Packard speaks of them particularly in the description, so we know from the description at least where the type belonged. Since ruberata is the only closely allied species that has reddish shaded bands, with gray and unicolorous variations, and since we know green varieties always occur with red, it seems reasonable to suppese that this is a green variety of ruberatfa or else a closely allied species. This seems hardly pessible, as I have specimens which agree line for line with glaucata, only they lack the red shading. I received a specimen from Mr. Broadwell which was green, and agreed with glaucaia in every respect.
This form has broad full-rounded wings with five watery bands crossing them, and has a pale green ground colour with pale ashen hind wings. :
Type—1 2 (Edwards), Calif., probably in American Museum ’ of Natural History, New York.
This includes all the species and varieties so far listed, and, I hope, will help to separate the many tangles. The genus Hydrio- mena, as a whole, seems a very compact and natural group, if we exclude the heterogeneous forms. The palpi and ‘colour scheme seem to be very constant characters, and I believe eventu- ally the other forms will be transferred to other genera. Surely
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 63
Coenocalpe magnoliata does not belong here, but until we know the genitalia and life histories better, we had better leave them as they are.. Mr. Louis B. Prout is in accord with me that the larval characters and imagoes are quite distinct from those of the other species listed under Hydriomena. Hera contracta, for ex- ample, has a strong hooked clasper, which shows it does not belong to Hydriomena.
In regard to life histories, very little seems to be known of the American forms, but in Europe H. furcata, ees and ruberata have been bred for years
I take this opportunity of correcting two errors of sex-signs, which appeared in former papers of mine on this genus. In the deseription of Hydriomena henshawi (Can. Ent., Vol. XLIV, p. 164, 1912) instead of “Type 1 o&, Nevada,” read ‘Type 1 9, Nevada.’ In the description of H. nubilofasciata Pack. var. cumulata Swett (Can. Ent., Vol. XLII, p. 281, 1910), instead of “Types 2c”, Feb. 6, 1874, Sanzalito, Cal.” read ‘‘Types 2-9,” etc.
I realize that the task of unravelling this variable group has been a difficult one, and that my work is incomplete, but I hope that I have at least made some of the puzzling forms more easily recognizable to the average collector.
SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES AND VARITIES. Hydriomena speciosata Pack.—Green and white mottled. Var. agassizi Swett.—Black and green. Var. taylori Swett.—Green and brown. 15. Hydriomena costipunctata Barnes and McD.—Green and brownish purple. 16. Hydriomena barnesata Swett.—Green and white. 17. Hydriomena bistriolata Zell— Green suffused, white mesial space. 18. Hydriomena regulata Pears——Green and liver coloured. 19. Hydriomena edenaia Swett——Green and white (black bar). 20. Hydriomena chiricahuata Swett.—Green and white, narrow mesial band. 21. Hydriomena similaris Hulst.—Green with bluish bands. 22. Hydriomena ruberata Freyer.—Gray with reddish shaded bands.
14
xe
64 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
22. Hydriomena var. literata Donoy.—Gray, bands unicolorous. Var. griscens Hoyn.-Heune.—Gray _ suffused,
without bands. Var. glaucata Pack.—Pale green, with gray bands.
GEOMETRID NOTES—DESCRIPTION OF A NEW VARIETY.
BY L. W. SWETT, BOSTON, MASS. Hydriomena speciosata Pack., var. ameliata, n. var.
Expanse 31-33 mm. Palpi long and blackish; head and thorax greenish; abdomen light ashen. A narrow black bar at base of antenne. Fore wings olive green, with a broad white mesial band. Base of wings blackish, with possibly the beginning of a black line; between base and first line of mesial band olive green, then another olive green space to the broad irregular black band, then olive green to the intra-discal band. The three irreg- ular lines of the mesial band are very striking; the outer one nearest the discal dot projects outward on median vein, almost touching the dot, and is irregular on the veins. Beyond, the mesial space is greenish white, giving the insect a striking appear- ance. In some respects it resembles certain varieties of H. autumnalis that I have seen from Germany. . The extra-discal line is very prominent on the costa and then runs irregularly in dashes across to the inner margin. Half-way between tip of wing and extra- discal line is a broad triangular black spot, which appears to be a broken line running in spots on the veins across the wing. A broad apical black dash. Fringe black and white checkered. Hind wings dark ashen brown with a pale checkered fringe. Wings beneath dark brown, with markings of upper side showing through.
This is the white-banded form that we should expect to find, according to my colour-scheme (vide p. 63), and I should not have described it were it not for its similarity to certain varieties of H.autumnalis, from which it can be distinguished by the long palpi.
Type—1-¢@, Victoria, B. C., July 7, 1914. From Mr. E. H. Blackmore, to whose collection it belongs. It was taken at Garden City, a suburb of Victoria.
Paratype-—1 2, Victoria, B. C., July 9, 1914, in my collec- tion, received through the kindness of the collector, Mr. E. H. Blackmore. It was taken at Swan Lake, a suburb of Victoria.
FHE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 65
A NEW SPECIES OF THE MYMARID GENUS CAMPTOP- TERA FOERSTER FROM AUSTRALIA.
BY A. A. GIRAULT, NELSON (CAIRNS), N. Q., AUSTRALIA.
Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea. Family Mymaride. Genus Camptoptera Foerster.
Camptoptera ¢gresi, new species. Normal position.
Female —Length 0.40 mm. Minute.
Ashy black, the abdomen greyish, except toward tip; legs pallid yellowish, the antennz ashy black, the scape and pedicel somewhat paler; both wings obscurely fumated throughout. Differing at once from the North American pulla and the European papaveris, the only other members of the genus, in having the first funicle joint abruptly shorter than the second, not long and nearly equal to it as in those species, but less than half the length of the second joint and distinctly shorter than the pedicel; also, gregi is smaller than pulla and has the abdomen paler; the first funicle joint is distinctly the shortest of the antennae. Otherwise as in pulla or nearly.
(From one specimen, 2-3 inch objective, 1 inch optic, Bausch and Lomb.) Male.—Not known.
Described from a single female specimen captured from the window of a residence at Nelson (Cairns), North Queensland, December 27, 1912 (A. P: Dodd).
Habitat—Australia—Nelson, Queensland.
Type-——No. Hy 1343, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, the foregoing specimen on a slide.
On February 12, 1913, 9 females were captured in the same place.
Respectfully dedicated to Mr. G. R. Greg for his ‘‘The Creed of Christendom.”’
66 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
BOOK REVIEW.
THe Acripiipa oF Minnesota. By M. P. Somes, University of Minnesota, Agricultural Experiment Station. Bulletin 141. University Farm, July 1914. 100 pp., 4 pls. (3 coloured).
Although a descriptive account of the Orthoptera of Minnesota has already been published* the present bulletin on the family Acridiide or short-horned grasshoppers will be found to contain much additional information on the distribution, habitats and life-histories of the species described in the earlier work, as well as descriptive notes on 16 species not included in the latter. It also contains keys for the identification of the subfamilies, genera and species.
No fewer than 78 species are listed, a number which exceeds the Ontario list by 30 species; but this is not surprising in view of the geographical position of the state and its relations to the Mississippi Valley and to Lake Superior. Minnesota lies on the borderland between the prairies and the eastern forest region, so that the rich prairie fauna, which is an almost negligible quantity in Ontario, is abundantly represented here, while Carolinian species enter by the Mississippi Valley and Canadian species find their way into the northern counties, the proximity of Lake Superior probably favouring the boreal element in the fauna of this section.
On account of these relations it is to be regretted that the author has not given us some account of the topography of Minne- sota from the standpoint of locust distribution, particularly as this phase of the subject was also ignored in Lugger’s report.
Many interesting notes are given on the manner of flight, nabits of oviposition, etc., of the various species, one of the most noteworthy being the observation of a female of Melanoplus blatchleyi in the act of drilling a hole in a piece of dead wood after the manner of Chloealtis conspersa, a habit unusual among the Melanopli.
The figures on the plates are all from original drawings, mostly in colour and, with a few exceptions, are fairly accurate and very attractive in appearance. The figure of Arphia sulphurea, however,
*Lugger, Otto. The Orthoptera of Minnesota. Third Am. Rept. of the Entomologist of the State Experiment Station of the University of Minnesota, 1897.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 67
appears to be a composite of two species, the head and thorax resembling an Arphia fairly closely, but the wings belonging un- mistakably to Circotettix verruculatus. A number of photographs of habitats and several maps showing the distribution of certain species also appear as text figures.
The following somewhat misleading statements have been noted in the text:
On p. 22 the author states that Bemidji, Minn., where Chloe- altis abdominalis was taken, ‘‘is doubtless near the eastern extreme of the range of this species, which has hitherto been taken in Montana and North Dakcta.’’ This species has been recorded from several localities in Ontario and Northern Michigan, ranging | eastward beyond Georgian Bay. .
On p. 23 Dichromorpha viridis is stated to be ‘common through- out North America,”’ whereas it has never been reported from any part of Canada.
On p. 26 Mecosiethus lineatus is spoken of as a very rare insect, ranging from New England to Northern Indiana, Illinois and Iona.”” In Canada it ranges northward at least*as far as Anticosti Island, Temagami District, Ont., and Nipigon, Ont., and is abundant in almost all open marshes in Central and Southern Ontario.
On p. 39 Gomphocerus clepsydra is treated as a distinct species from G. clavatus, whereas it has for some years been generally regarded as a synonym of the latter.
These are minor matters and detract but little from the value of a useful and interesting account of this attractive group of insects.
SOME SouTH INDIAN INSECTS AND OTHER ANIMALS OF IMPORTANCE. By T. Bainbrigge Fletcher, Imperial Entomologist to the Goy- ernment of India. Printed by the Superintendent, Government Press, Madras, South India, 1914.
As a worthy sequel to “Indian Insect Life,’”’ published in 1910 by Maxwell Lefroy, we have this book on the commoner insects of South India, with particular reference to economic forms. It is the first book of its kind produced in South India, and only the second in the whole country, and as such deserves special credit.
68 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
It is a quarto volume of 565 pages, and 1s illustrated with 50 splendid plates and 440 text illustrations. Most of the plates are coloured, and it speaks well for the author and his staff that these profuse, and on the whole, excellent illustrations are mostly original.
The work covers a very wide field, and may be divided into two parts. The first nine chapters deal with insects in general, | their zoological status, structure and classification, their habits and the laws which govern them; and the tenth and eleventh chapters deal with pests in general and various means of control, specially adapted to local conditions. Then follow general de- scriptions of different insects classified as pests of crops and grain, as household pests and as carriers of disease, and the extent to which some are beneficial and useful. One chapter is devoted to a few other animals and birds, both beneficial and injurious. An important section, and one which will be valuable to its readers, is a long list cf the commonly-grown plants and crops, with the names of some 800 insects attacking them, and a list of allied plants grouped under natural orders for reference when studying polyphagous insects. >
The second and main part of the book is taken up with a study of the orders of insects, dealing mainly with injurious forms under the headings of references, distribution in South India, life- history, food plants, economic status and means of control. This represents an enormous amount of information condensed to a systematic and readily available form, and the profuse illustrations are intended to facilitate the tracing out of any particular insects which may prove injurious. The fact that many of the life-his- tories are classed as ‘not worked out’’ should be a stimulus to en- tomologists in India. The book ends with a complete index.
The author is to be congratulated ona stupendous work which he confesses was undertaken unexpectedly and executed largely by the exertions of the Madras Department of Entomology in the short space of two years. As a handy and popular work on insects, the book should prove of great value to planters and those in- terested in entomology, and the low price of six rupees (two dollars) places it within the reach of most people.
G. J. SEENCER.
Mailed February 11th, 1915.
The Ganattiay Futomalogist,
VoL. XLVI. LONDON, MARCH, 1915 No. 3
POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY.
IMPORTANCE OF OBSERVATIONS ON APPARENTLY PNIMPORTANT INSECTS.
BY F. M. WEBSTER, BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY, WASHINGTON, D. C.
In the course of the writer’s somewhat extended experience in the investigations of insects, with especial reference to their —~ economic significance, he has occasionally found himself con- fronted with criticisms on account of having apparently expended both time and funds in studying insects whose attacks were, or had been, so far as known, of little or no importance. It therefore seems not out of place to direct attention to a number of instances showing that such restrictions are not always warranted and that the present status of importance of a species cannot be taken as conclusive respecting its future, or indeed near future significance.
Selecting a number of instances in point from my own experi- ence and of others working under my direction, that of Myochrous denticollis, the southern corn leaf beetle, which has since become better known by reason of its disastrous attacks on growing corn in Kansas and southern Ohio, may be first mentioned. The first observations made on this insect in the corn field were purely accidental.
The writer happened to be passing through a field of young corn in Tensas Parish, La., in April, 1887, and observed a few of these beetles attacking the plants by gnawing the outside of the stems. There was nothing observed at the time that would indicate the least likelihood of this ever becoming a serious pest, such as it has since proven itself. To have passed over the fact without mention would have been to fail to record the basic obser- vation on the insect as a corn pest.
Curiously enough, during the same month in the same locality the adults of Ceratoma caminea were observed attacking cultivated beans in the garden of an old negro, whose cabin was located in
70 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
——{=$ = — ———_
the midst of the Tensas swamps. Although the writer had been familiar with the beetle for years in the North, this was the first time its food plant had ever been determined by him. With this initial observation in mind, the same insect was afterwards observed to attack the leaves of the cow-pea in great numbers. At that time the two observations did not give any basis for assuming that the- species would ever become a serious enemy of the bean and much less so of the cow-pea, such as has since been recorded of it.
In the same locality reports were received of peculiar injuries to growing corn which had been observed by planters in previous years. No definite information was just at the time obtainable from this source, and it was not until later, when the writer stumbled, as it were, upon the larve of Diabrotica 12-punctata in considerable numbers, attacking the growing corn in the fields, that anything definite was known. With this limited knowledge, later observa- tions seemed to be more easily made, with the result that a damage of 75% was observed a week or ten days later in other corn fields.
When Mr. Jas. A. Hyslop made his first observations on the clover root curculio, Sitones hispidulus, in April, 1909, there was no indication that the species was of any particular economic importance. It happened to be convenient for Mr. V. L. Wilder- muth to continue the work taken up by Mr. Hyslop, because of the latter’s transfer to Pullman, Washington, so there was even yet no information obtained that could be presented as an excuse for spending much time upon it. However, the investigation was carried through to completion, and in presenting the matter for ' publication we found ourselves somewhat at a loss to give satis- factory reasons for asking for the publication of the completed ~ work. The injuries of the larve to the roots of clover were so in- frequent, and the beetles themselves were not found in any great abundance, so that the species could not be placed among those particularly destructive to the clover plant. Five years later, however, in 1914, the larve of the same insect were found to be seriously destructive in alfalfa fields, attacking the alfalfa roots in precisely the same way in which Mr. Wildermuth had observed them to attack the roots of clover. It now turns out that an ob- scure, though serious trouble, in alfalfa fields which has, up to the. present time, puzzled agronomists was really due to the subter-
‘
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST Thal
ranean attacks of the larve of this species on the roots of alfalfa. Thus, within five years, this insect has advanced from one of apparently little or no economic importance, to one of the pests of the alfalfa field that must be reckoned with by alfalfa growers in future.
In 1909 Mr. Hyslop, in his entomological investigations about Pullman, Washington, found that the larve of the moth Autographa gamma californica attacked alfalfa plants, but these injuries were encountered so rarely that there did not appear to be any good reason for paying any special attention to the species. It was, however, convenient to carry on the observations, and in doing this’ Mr. Hyslop became impressed with the possibility that, in — the event of its natural enemies becoming so reduced as to be unable to hold the species in check, it might become an insect of much more economic importance than his observations at that time would indicate. But, here again, it was difficult to explain, clearly, the necessity for the expenditures of time and funds re- quired to carry out the investigation of the species, or to ask for the publication of the results. During the summer of 1914 the very conditions that it was thought might possibly come to pre- vail, did actually develop. Something transpired to prevent the development of the natural enemies of Autographa, in sufficient numbers to keep the pest in check, and as a result, throughout a ~ number of the northwestern States, the species became a veritable scourge, and many letters were received complaining of its ravages.
In June, 1884, Toxoptera graminum, now better known as the notorious green bug, was introduced into a breeding cage in northern Indiana, where the writer was temporarily located. Up to that time the species was not known to occur in America excepting at one point, Cabin John Bridge, Maryland, a few miles north of Washington; and while, as later examination of the old records show, that the species had probably been injurious in Virginia two years prior to that date, at the time of the accidental introduction into the writer’s breeding cages, it was not known as a destructive insect at all, and therefore the investigation made at that time was barely warranted by its then economic importance. Since that time it has come to be one of the most destructive pests of the grain field, and is probably more dreaded by the grain growers of
rey THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
northern Texas, Oklahoma, and southern Kansas than any other insect.
Stictocephala festina has not until within the last year or two come to be known as an insect of any economic importance. A few years ago Mr. R. A. Cushman, at that time connected with the southern field crop insect investigations, found a few indi- viduals girdling the stems of alfalfa in Louisiana. The species was, so far as known, of so little importance that a careful in- vestigation was hardly justifiable. Later on its capabilities for seriously injuring the alfalfa became apparent, but still there was not sufficient information at hand to indicate that it would be likely at any time to become a serious pest. It was, however, carefully studied further by Mr. Wildermuth, and suddenly, from out of a stage of obscurity, so far as its alfalfa-destroying habits are concerned, it has jumped into prominence, by becoming seriously destructive during the summer of 1914 in the alfalfa fields of Virginia and some other States.
Other similar instances might be brought forward, but the foregoing is sufficient to show the absolute necessity of carrying out, judiciously, investigations of insects likely to become injurious, whenever a favourable opportunity presents itself for doing so, regardless of what the previous record of these may have been. It has frequently happened that certain species have, to all appear- ances, come suddenly into prominence and become immensely destructive to crops. Because of their previous supposedly lack of importance, no one having taken the time to investigate them, all inquiries for information relative thereto coming from those who suffered from their ravages, must be given the disappointing information that nothing whatever had been learned of their habits in any of their several stages of development. There are times when an entomologist may be and is criticised for what might appear as a wasteful use of both time and funds in investi- gating insects not previously known to affect in any way the interests of husbandmen. But let him totally neglect these, and when one of them suddenly jumps into prominence, as is sooner or later bound to be the case with some of them, he will find himself equally, or perhaps even more, severely criticised because he thus finds himself unable to give a full explanation of the activities
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 73
of the pest and advise methods of control. All of this goes to emphasize the necessity of investigating carefully, and as thoroughly as possible, using proper judgment of course, insects and their attacks upon vegetation, regardless of whether they are at the time injurious or not. It may be that, even at that very time, the insect is seriously injurious, but its injuries are of such an obscure nature as to be overlooked entirely or perhaps confused with those of some of the older and better known pests. Entomo- logical investigations cannot be ~undertaken, carried through, and completed by contract, as the erection of buildings, construction of railways, or excavating of canals, but opportunities must be ‘judiciously seized upon, and if the problem is followed faithfully wherever it may lead, one will be surprised at the number of instances like the foregoing, when the final outcome has more than justified the investigation.
NOTES ON THE PUPATION OF THE HOUSE-FLY (MUSCA
DOMESTICA) AND ITS MODE OF OVERWINTERING.*
BY C= GORDON HE Winl. )s-Se: DOMINION ENTOMOLOGIST, OTTAWA.
The migratory habit of the larve of Musca domestica evidenced prior to pupation has been observed by most of the investigators who have studied the insect’s life history, and these observations have been collected by Hutchison (1914). Levy and Tuck (1913) appear to be the first workers to call attention to the practical value of this habit in fly control, and Hutchison has extended the work along lines that will undoubtedly provide us with an additional means of control of no little value. The principle involved is the capturing of the mature larve leaving the manure to pupate, in accordance with their usual custom, either in the cooler outer portions of the piles or in the subjacent soil.
The migratory habit of the larva has also another interest, namely, its relation to the suppression of flies breeding in the usual type of insanitary privy and in latrines. While a few isolated observations have been made in India and elsewhere, I do not know of any exact record of the extent to which the larve migrate
* Contribution from the Entomological Branch, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. March, 1915
74 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
from the substance in which they have been feeding. Hutchison (I.c.) found that the majority of the pupe were scattered about the drier margins of the heaps of horse-manure, sheltered by the overhanging straw, and that whereas, in one heap, he found about 9000 pupe in this position, not more than 100 were found below the soil. In this connection the following observation appears to be worthy of record.
Following the experiments which I carried out (1914) on the control of the larve by various insecticides, it was decided to examine the soil around and beneath the untreated and conse- quently natural heap of horse-manure with a view to ascertaining the distance and depth travelled by the larve prior to pupation. Also it was desired to discover whether any of the insects were overwintering in the pupal state; to this aspect of the question I shall return later.
The manure was removed on May 13th and the soil subjacent to and around the site of the pile was carefully removed and an approximate record was kept of the numerical abundance of the puparia at the different depths below the surface of the soil to a distance of about four feet around the site. This task was carried out for me by Mr. S. N. Lord, to whom my thanks are due. The results of this examination of the soil, which was a sandy loam, are represented diagramatically in the accompanying figure.
3 3
——
Fig. 7.—Diagrammatic section through heap of manure and subjacent soil to show the migration of the larvee of Musca domestica. The drawing is to scale, distance and depth in feet being indicated. The black dots in the soil represent the puparia. (Original).
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST vai)
A few puparia were found directly beneath the manure pile to a depth of twelve inches. The greatest numbers occurred in the region about eighteen inches from the pile and at a depth of twelve inches to two feet from the surface; this is graphically shown in the figure; the puparia were also numerous immediately below the surface of the soil. The numbers then gradually de- creased proportional to the distance from the pile and dwindled away at a distance of about four feet from its base.:
This observation is of practical interest to the sanitarian as indicating the habits of the larve under normal conditions. It illustrates the ability of the flies to emerge from a depth of two feet, as particular attention was paid to condition of the puparia, and the flies had emerged from all the puparia other than those that had failed to develop.
The Overwintering of the House-fly
The question as to the state in which Musca domestica passes the winter has been discussed recently by several workers, and it seems desirable to review the subject again in so far as my. ex- perience of conditions in the most northerly temperate latitudes of England and Canada are concerned. In my monograph on the house-fly (1914) the statement is made that three causes ccn- tribute to the disappearance of the flies at the end of the summer, namely, retreat into hibernating quarters or into permanently heated places, natural death, and death from Empusa.musce. 1 must confess that the word ‘“‘hibernation’’ has been used in too broad a sense by me, as it has not only implied a dormant state during the winter, which is the usually accepted meaning of the term, but it has also had reference to a possible and sometimes actual state of activity during the winter months. It is in this sense that the word “‘hibernation”’ was used, as will be gathered in reading the section under that heading, in the work referred to. It would be preferable to substitute the term ‘‘overwintering,’’ as this will adequately cover all conditions and developmental stages and will avoid a possible misuse of the term ‘‘hibernation.”’
Taking all the evidence that is now available, it may be stated that in northerly latitudes Musca domestica exists in the overwintering period in the following states:
76 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
1. Dormant.—In cool retreats where suitable shelter and protection may be found; here flies may truly hibernate.
2. Periodically active-—In premises where an increased tem- perature produces activity in the fly which would otherwise be inactive and dormant.
3. Permanently active-—The gradation between the former state, and this would be governed by temperature and the pres- ence of food. Permanently active flies have been found by my- self and other observers in every month of the winter season from November to March. I have dissected such flies from Decem- ber to March and found them capable of reproduction in many instances. Such flies are found in warm bakehouses, kitchens, restaurants and stables. Jepson (1909) used such flies for breeding experiments in February.
4. In the immature stages —The previous states, Nos. 1 to3, are based on actual observations. That in northerly latitudes M. domestica may be found in the developmental stages (egg, larva or - pupa) is a statement that has only, so far as I know, a theoretical and experimental basis. It should be possible, one would think, to find M. domestica breeding in permanently warm places, such as stables where larval food is present. In many stables, however, the temperatures are very variable, and this fact would lengthen the different stages very considerably. Personally, I have so far failed to discover evidence of M/. domestica breeding under natural conditions during the winter months in the latitudes of Ottawa (Canada) and England, but.observations indicate the possibility of such an occurrence in the presence of suitable conditions.
In the light of the evidence at present available, I think we are still justified in regarding the dormant and periodically active states during the overwintering period as the usual occurrence in northerly latitudes. But there is no doubt that where circum- stances render state No. 3 possible, it contributes very materially to an increase in the number of available and active flies early in the spring. I have always held the same view as that suggested by Copeman and Austen (1914): ‘‘That the relative lateness of the season at which house-flies annually become abundant may be due to the smallness of the number of individuals that, in an active condition, survive the winter in houses or other buildings.’’ This
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. ii
idea was supported by my observations in the state of the repro- ductive organs of a portion of the flies found and dissected during the winter months.
The last contribution to our knowledge on this subject is the report of Copeman and Austen, quoted above, on the results of an examination of the species of flies collected in houses, etc., during the winter months. They state: ‘‘In conclusion, it would appear that the customary explanation of the perpetuation of the | house-fly from year to year has now been fairly tested, and that the evidence obtained fails to support it. If, however, during the season of greatest fly-prevalence, a selection were made of several -centres in which house-flies were present in sufficiently large numbers, it would be worth while during the following winter to endeavour to discover whether living pupe could be found in any considerable quantity in the local breeding-places.”’
One serious objection prevents my agreement with their conclusion. The evidence contained in their report points to the fact that practically all the specimens of M. domestica that were received were caught in an active condition, and there is no evi- dence submitted to show that any of their correspondents found these flies as a result of searching for them in the hiding places from which Jepson and I have recorded them. In view of this objection the facts submitted by Copeman and Austen cannot be fairly considered as failing to support the explanation usually given. I may say I have repeatedly applied the test they suggest, and in no case have I been able to find either in England or Canada living pupe of M. domestica under outdoor conditions during the winter. Nor has it ever been possible in my breeding experiments in Canada and in England to carry the insect through the winter in the pupal state. In the experiment described in the first part of this paper a special effort was made to find living puparia among several thousand examined, and not a single healthy puparium was discov- ered; all were either empty or had failed to develop. Had specimens been overwintering in the pupal condition, it is reasonable to expect that living puparia would have been found in the early part of May, as the adults could not have emerged earlier than that date under Ottawa conditions. It is a matter, however, that requires more observations in different localities, but until evidence is secured
78 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
of the insect overwintering in the pupal state we shall be justified in believing from the facts available that in northerly latitudes Musca domestica is accustomed normally to overwinter in the adult state.
In more southerly latitudes, where the mean temperature is much higher and where the activity of the flies is practically continuous throughout the winter months, one would expect the occurrence of the insect in an active condition and of the various stages of its development during this period, although the duration of such developmental stages would be lengthened. This has been found to be the case in New Orleans, Florida, in the valuable investigation of the Bureau of Entomology of the United States, Department of Agriculture, according to the verbal statement of Mr. F. C. Bishopp.
LITERATURE REFERRED TO:
1. Copeman, S. M., and Austen, E.E.—'Do House-flies Hibernate?”’ Reports to the Local Government Board on Public Health and Medical Subjects. Further Reports (No. 7) on Flies as Carriers of Infection, pp. 6-26, 1914.
5. Levy, E.C., and Tuck, W.T.—" The Maggot Trap—A New Weapon in our Warfare aginst the Typhoid Fly.”” Amer. Journ. Public Health, Vol. III, No. 7, pp. 657-660, 1913.
4. Hutchison, R.H.—‘‘The Migratory Habit of the House-fly Larve as indicating a Favourable Remedial Measure. An Account of Progress.”’ Bull. No. 14, U. S. Dept. Agric., Washington, 11 pp., 1914.
2. Hewitt, C. G.—‘‘Further Observations on the. Breeding Habits and Control of the House-fly, Musca domestica.”’ Journ. Econ. Ent., Vol. VII, No. 3, pp. 281-289, 2 pp., 1914.
3. Hewitt, C.G.—‘‘The House-fly Musca domestica Linn. Its Structure, Habits, Development, Relation to Disease and Con- trol,” pp. XVI+382, 104 figs. and map. Cambridge Univ. Press (England), 1914.
PHYLLOPHILOPSIS, new name—Phyllophila Townsend, Proc: Biol. Soc. Wash., XXVIII, 21, is preoccupied, and Phyllophilopsis, new name, is hereby proposed to take its place.
CHARLES H. T. TOWNSEND.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 79
NEW EXOTIC TIPULIDA (DIPTERA). BY CHARLES P. ALEXANDER, ITHACA, N. Y.* The following species of crane-flies have been received from various correspondents during the past year. Genus Dicranomyia Stephens. 1829. Dicranomyia Stephens; Cat. Brit. Ins., Vol. II, p. 248.
Dicranomyia fullowayi, sp.n. (Fig. 8).
Small, body coloration brown; wings hyaline with grey spots; Sc short, ending opposite the origin of Rs.
Male—Length 3.8 mm.; wing 4.8 mm.
Rostrum and palpi dark brown. Antenne short, dark brown.
Head brownish grey.
Fig. 8.—Dicranomyia fullowayi.
Thoracic dorsum brown without distinct stripes or markings of any kind; postnotum brownish grey. Pleura dark brownish black. Halteres light yellow. Legs with the cox and trochanters dull yellow; femora brown, paler at the base; tibize and tarsi brown. Wings hyaline or nearly so with grey spots as follows: At end of Sc and origin of Rs at end of Ri and cross-vein 7, along the cord and outer end of cell 1st M2, a blotch in the middle of cell 2nd Ri near the costa, a large blotch on vein R45 clouds at the ends of most of the veins, a blotch on M before the middle, a blotch at the arculus, two large spots in cell /s¢ A touching vein 2nd A. Venation as in figure—Sc short ending about opposite the origin of Rs, Rs half again as long as the deflection of R4+s cell 1st M2 very long, basal deflection of Cui just beyond the fork of M.
Abdomen dark brown, the last segment and the ovipositor more yellowish.
Habitat—Island of Guam, Ladrones.
*From the Department of Entomology, Cornell University. March, 1915
80 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Holotype, o&, Guam, Ladrones, D. T. Fulloway, coll. No. 1384.
Dicranomyia guttula, sp. n. (Fig. 9.)
Brown; wings hyaline with gray spots along the veins; Sc short ending opposite the origin of Rs.
Female.—Length 4.5—5 mm; wing, 5.7—6.4 mm.
Rostrum, palpi and antenne dark brown. Head grey.
Thoracic prascutum rich yellowish brown with indications of darker markings behind; scutum similar with an indistinct darker spot on either lobe in front; postnotum light brown with a faint whitish bloom. Pleure brown, the dorsal sclerites, including those of the neck, around to the halteres, dark brown. Halteres light brown, the knob darker. Legs with the coxe and trochanters yellow, femora dull vellow, tibia and tarsi light brown. Wings hyaline, the veins with abundant grey spots at short intervals producing a speckled appearance. Venation as in the figure—Sc short ending just beyond the origin of Rs, Sce being exactly opposite the origin of Rs, cell /s¢ M2 long and narrow, the outer deflection of M3 long and arcuated, over twice as long as cross-vein m, basal deflection of Cu just beyond the fork of M.
Fig. 9.—Dicranomyia guttula.
Abdominal tergites brown, tip of the abdomen, including ovi- positor, yellowish; sternites yellowish.
Habitat—Lor Marquez, South Africa.
Holotype, 2, Lor Marquez, Africa, C. W. Howard, coll. No. 14.
Paratype, 2, topotypic.
From D. irrorata Enderlein (Zool. Jahrb., vol. 32, pt. 1, p. 74, 75, fig. Vi) this species differs in having Sc short and in having the spots on the wings confined to the veins.
Genus Libnotes Westwood. 1876. Libnotes Westwood; Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., p. 505.
Libnotes picta, sp.n. (Fig: 10.) Colour yellow, the thoracic dorsum with six rounded black
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 81
marks; wings hyaline with scanty brown spots including three along the costa; cross-vein r at the tip of Ri.
Male.—Length about 6 mm.; wing, 7.1 mm.
Rostrum yellowish, the basal segments of the palpi light brown, the apical segments dark brown. Antenne with the basal segment brown, the remainder of the antenne dull yellow. Head brown with a thick light grey bloom.
Thoracic dorsum light yellow, the prascutum with four black marks, a pair on either side of the middle line about midlength of the sclerite, contiguous on their inner faces; a larger mark on the sides of the sclerite near the end of the suture; scutum with a very large rounded mark on each lobe; scutellum with the caudal margin narrowly brown; postnotum with two pale brown rounded markings behind, one on either side of the median line, but separated from one another. Pleure yellowish white. Halteres pale, knob a little darker. Legs with the coxe and trochanters pale vellow,
Fig. 10.—Libnotes picta.
femora light yellow, the tip narrowly dark brown; tibie dull yellow, the tip narrowly dark brown, tarsal segments 1 and 2 dull yellow, the tips narrowly darker, segments 3 to 5 brown. Wings hyaline with small brown marks as follows: a large rectangular blotch at the orgin of Rs, a rounded stigmal spot, narrow seams along the cord and along the outer end of cell ‘st Me, the tip of the wing is narrowly infuscated, base of the wing in the vicinity of the arculus clouded with brown; veins yellow, brown inside the markings on the membrane. Venation as in figure.
Abdomen dull light yellow.
Habitat.—Island ot Guam, Ladrones.
‘Holotype, o', Guam, .Ladrones, D. T. Fulloway, coll. No. 1226.
By means of Osten Sacken’s key to the species of this genus (Berl. Ent. Zeit., Vol. XX XI, pt. 2, p. 182, 183), L. picta would
82 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
run down to the first group of species, but runs out by its hyaline wings with spots. By de Meijere’s key (Tijd. voor Ent., vol. 54, p. 33, 34) it would run down to L. notata Wulp, a much larger insect with entirely different body-coloration.
Genus Molophilus Curtis.
1833. Molophilus Curtis; Brit. Ent., p. 444.
Molophilus sirius, sp.n. (Fig. 11.)
Body coloration dark brown; hypopygium of the male with two pairs of chitinized appendages which are finely denticulate at the tip.
Male—Length 3.5 mm.; wing, 5.4 mm.
Female.—Length 4.8 mm.; wing, 5.5 mm.
Rostrum and palpi dark brown. Antenne broken. Head brownish grey, the occiput paler behind.
Pronotum and anterior margin of the mesonotal prescutum pale whitish yellow, remainder of the prasscutum brown, the space before the pseudosutural fovee yellow, the foveze and tuberculate pits dark brown; lobes of the scutum dark brown; scutellum and postnotum brown. Pleure brown. Halteres with the knobs very large, elongate, stem brown, knobs paler. Legs with the coxe and trochanters dull dark yellow, remainder broken. Wings hyaline or nearly so, the veins rather pale with abundant long dark brown hairs. Venation as in the figure.
Fig. 11.—Molophilus sirius.
Abdomen dark brown, the valves of the ovipositor brownish yellow. Male hypopygium with the ventral-lying pleural appen- dages fleshy, long, slender and finger-like, clothed with long hairs; underneath these fleshy lobes are a pair of chitinized hooks, straight basally, curved ventrad and inward at their tips and on the under face with several small teeth. Dorsad of these are a pair of shorter chitinized appendages, almost straight, the dorsal face near the tip with minute teeth. Dorsal lobes, short, rounded at tip, flat,
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 83
clothed outwardly with long pale hairs, on the inner or ventral face with numerous black chitinized points.
Habitat —Phillippine Islands.
Holotype, &, Phillippine Islands, July. Labelled ‘‘F. Casey, Wash. Thru Miss Ludlow.”’
Allotype, 2, topotypic.
Genus Mongoma Westwood. 1881. Mongoma Westwood; Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., p. 364.
Mongoma guamensis, sp. n. : Fragillima group; colour dark brown; no white on the legs. Male—Length 6.8 mm.; wing, 7.1 mm. Rostrum and palpi vellowish brown. Antenne brownish yellow, the flagellar segments elongate, brown, clothed with abun- dant pale hairs. Head grey.
Fig. 12.—Mongoma guamensis.
Thoracic dorsum light brown, the pleure lighter coloured, more yellowish, especially ventrally. Halteres light . brownish yellow, the knobs darker. Legs with the coxae and trochanters dull yellow, femora dark brown, paler at the base, tibia dark brown, tarsi much paler, almost yellow. Wings hyaline, the stigma
' indistinct; veins dark brown. Venation as in figure.
Abdominal tergites brownish grey; sternites more yellowish.
Habitat—Island of Guam, Ladrones.
Holotype. &, Guam, Ladrones, D. T. Fulloway coll. No. 1385.
This species diflers from all of the related regional species of the fragillima group by the lack of white on the legs, pennipes O.S., tenera O. S., and pallidiventris Brun. having the tarsi snowy-white. M. cariniceps End. from Sumatra is a very different insect from any of these species and is easily separated by its large size and orange colour. M. albipennis Meij. from Java is larger than guamensis and has the wings and veins whitish.
84 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
INQUILINE BUMBLE-BEES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA.
BY F. W. L. SLADEN, APICULTURIST, CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM, OTTAWA.
Having been. informed by Mr. R. C. Treherne of a nest of bumble-bees in his garden at the foot of the mountain at Agassiz, B. C., I dug it up on July 7, 1914. The nest was found at about 18 inches from the surface. It contained an old queen of Bombus flavifrons and about half a dozen workers of the same species; also the well-preserved body of a female of Psithyrus insularis Sm., and several unopened cocoons, out of one of which I extracted a male, nearly ready to hatch, of Psithyrus consultus Frank. The occurrence of Psithyrus in this nest is of considerable interest, for Franklin said in his recent monograph of the Bombidz of North America (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. XX XV, page 448), ‘There is not yet a single new world account of a Psithyrus having been found in a bumble-bee’s nest.”’
Moreover, several noteworthy conclusions are indicated.
Corroboration of a new and highly convincing kind is given to the already well-founded belief (id., page 458), that consultus is the male of insularis, for the female insularis was in all probability the mother of the male consultus. It may be remarked that the name insularis has priority.
Second, Ps. insularis is evidently parasitic upon B. flavifrons in British Columbia. In Eastern Canada (iusularis is common at Ottawa) it must prey upon some other species of Bombus, for flavifrons is not found in the east. Probably, however, it lives with several species in both regions.
Third, Ps. insularis does not apparently kill the Bombus queen, as I have found Ps. vestalis and rupestris do in England (‘The Humble Bee,” page 60), but both females seem to live together in the nest, laying eggs. (The death of the imsuralis female was evidently due to age.or accident.) This seems to be in accord with Hoffer’s observations on Psithyrus campestris, the Old World representative of insularis. He found Ps. campestris living on good terms with its hosts, B. agrorum and helferanus, both queens producing young (Die Schmarotzerhummeln Steirmarks, page 101).
March, 1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
A NEW APHID FROM FLORIDA. BY GEORGE G. AINSLIE, WASHINGTON, D. C.
| &
Carolinaia cyperi, n. sp.
Alate viviparous female—General colour black. Head, thorax and abdomen shining black, the latter with a greenish tinge in strong light. Eyes dark red, almost black. Antenne _ black, appearing brownish in strong light, shorter than body, reaching beyond middle of abdomen, situated on very flat frontal tubercles, 6-segmented. Antennal segment VI with basal portion less than half as long as spur and shorter than IV, III about two-thirds as long as spur, five to seven, generally six, large round sensoria in a row on III, the usual ones at tip of [V and at base of spur. Rostrum dusky yellow, short, reaching just beyond first coxe. Wings hyaline with strong black veins, stigma dusky, articulation greenish, venation of fore wings regular, hind wings with but one cross vein. Legs dusky yellow, tarsi and distal extremities of femora and tibie black. Cornicles dusky yellow, sometimes with reddish tinge, robust, swollen on inner side, largest about two-thirds out from base, with a sharp constriction and a flaring ring at tip which ‘s turned slightly outward, carried closely appressed to the body pointing toward the cauda. Cauda dusky yellow, conical, retracted in life.
Measurements—Length of body 1.40 mm., width .65 mm. Length of antennal segments: I .071 mm., II .053 mm., III .212- .265, aver. .245-mm., [V .141-.177, aver. .157 mm., V_ .159-.194, aver. .177 mm., VI base, .123-.159, aver. .147 mm., spur, .335- 406, aver. .378 mm. (averages from ten antenne). Total length 1.213 mm. Wings, fore wing, length 2.29 mm., width .84 mm., hind wing, length 1.21 mm., width .33 mm., total wing expanse 5.15 mm. Cornicle, length .212 mm., width .053 mm. . Cauda, length .106 mm.
Apterous viviparous female—General colour black with a sepia tinge and shining with a metallic lustre. Surface of head, thorax and abdomen minutely rugose or shagreened. Body flattened, turtle-shaped, with lateral margins prominent and often furrowed. Antenne 6-segmented, I, II, V and VI dark with yellowish tinge,
III and IV paler, the articulation between III and IV though - March, 1915
86 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
sometimes not complete is always indicated, a single sensorium near tip of IV and the usual group at base of spur. Legs dusky yellow, tarsi and distal extremities of femora of second and third pairs darker. Cornicles and cauda as in alate form, the former closely appressed to the abdomen in life.
Measurements—Length of body 1.63 mm., width .93 mm. Length of antennal segments, I .07 mm., II .05 mm., III .14-.176, aver. .16 mm., IV. .088-.124, aver. .10 mm., V .106-.124,. aver. .12 mm., VI base .088-.106, aver. .10 mm., spur .212-.247, aver. .23.mm., total length .8389 mm. Cornicles, length .265 mm. Cauda, length .O88 mm. :
Pupa— Head, thorax and abdomen dark mottled green. Antenne dusky yellow at base, shading to almost black at tip. Eyes dark red. Wing pads pale yellow with greenish tinge. Legs pale yellow. Cornicles as in alate form, though more robust. Cauda not apparent. Length of body 1.26 mm., width .79 mm.
The young are pale yellow or greenish when born and gradually darken as they approach maturity.
The species agrees well with Wilson’s definition of the genus, except that the apterous forms have indistinctly 6-segmented antenne instead of 5-segmented as he gives it. The division between III and IV is plainly indicated in all the specimens I have seen and in many is complete. . ‘
This aphid was first found at Lakeland, Florida, in November, 1912. Further observations were made during the following winter and during the winter of 1913-14. Specimens were sent to Mr. J. J. Davis and Mr. J. T. Monell, both of whom pronounced it anew species of Carolinaia. I am indebted to them and especially to Mr. J. J. Davis for assistance in the preparation of this paper.
The species appears to be rather generally distributed through- _ out Florida, for it has been taken at a number of places throughout the state and as far north as Gainesville. Cyperus esculentus, which in its wild form is the pestiferous nut-grass of the south and in cultivation is known as the chufa, is its only observed food plant. It thrives on chufa in cages and colonizes it readily when available in the field. Other species of Cyperus growing in close proximity to infested plants of esculentus were examined repeatedly, but the aphid was never found on them.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 87
Notwithstanding its dark colour, it is a very inconspicuous species, for it lives only on the under side of the leaves, where it forms large colonies, the apterous adults lying in a single regular row on each side of the midrib with the small forms crowded in among them. It is surprising how many can exist in this way on the lower side of one leaf. No matter how crowded they may be on the under surface, they never feed on the upper surface, and the leaves seem never to show the slightest effect of their presence. The alate forms are very seldom found in the larger colonies, for they leave the group as soon as matured to establish new ones on uninfested plants.
It has not been followed throughout an entire season. When first found in November the colonies, then rather small, consisted of apterous adults, young, and an occasional alate form. In January almost every plant in the field bore large colonies, but winged adults were very scarce. When, however, some of the infested plants were transferred to a cage, winged forms appeared at once, indicating that they had been developing, but leaving the parent colony as soon as mature. The large colonies persisted in the field and became very abundant until about the middle of March, when predaceous enemies began to make serious inroads upon them. Previous to this the weather, while not freezing, had been cool enough to suppress most insect activity. From this time.on the colonies grew smaller and more scattered, for Coccinellids and Syrphids became so numerous that no colony long remained. unmolested. Small scattering colonies were still present at the time of my last observations late in May. No sexes have been found, and it is most likely that the species can winter exposed on its food plant in any normal season. In evidence of this, I have just received a letter from Mr. R. N. Wilson from Gainesville, Florida, dated November 27, 1914, in which he states that a recent cold snap froze the nut-grass back to the ground, and that the aphids are not numerous, but at the same time he sent a good supply of them taken in the open. How they fare in summer, when the unshaded sand is heated to 130 to 150 degrees F. by the sun, I have not had opportunity to observe.
Coccinella sanguinea and Baccha clavata were the most common of the predaceous enemies though other species of Coccinellids
88 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
—— eee
and Syrphids were present in smaller numbers. Numbers of parasites were reared from the larvae and pupe of these predators, among them several undescribed species of Hymenoptera. In- ternal parasites were not in evidence, and only a few aphids killed by them were seen. Possibly in summer they are more efficient. Aside from insect enemies, the most serious foe of the nut-grass aphid is the hard dashing rain, which becomes more frequent in May and June. The fine sand is driven against the lower surface of the leaves with such force by the splashing rain-drops that most of the aphids are beaten off or killed, and after two or three such showers it is often difficult to find more than a few scattered indi- viduals.
Records of a few individuals more closely observed follow. On January 20 a migrant taken from the field was put on a potted nut-grass plant. While the plant remained fresh apterous adults developed,and by January 31 a number of these were producing young. February 2 the original migrant was still producing young, but the plant had begun.to deteriorate. February 11 the plant was practically dead, killed by a larva of Bactra lanceolana, so the few aphids remaining were transferred to a fresh plant. February 19 alate forms began to appear, and between that date and April 7, when the plant finally died from neglect, 181 winged forms were removed, practically all that were produced during that period having developed wings.
An alate vivipara maturing January 22 was placed on a caged plant. Up to March 6, when she disappeared, she had given birth to 51 young at the rate of one, two or three per day.
THE-SYMMETRY- OF -AINSECTs. BY HARRY B. WEISS, NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J
All insects are bilaterally symmetrical, or, in other words, the two lateral halves of an insect are alike, and symmetry can be defined as a pleasing equality of parts. Bilateral symmetry is sometimes known as horizontal dual symmetry, inasmuch as bilaterally symmetrical objects are usually oriented from a middle point or portion and exploited by equal movements of the eyes to
the right and to the left, which is the natural method. Asa result, March, 1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 89
the aesthetic value of dual symmetry is greater in the horizontal than in the vertical.
In addition, other forms of symmetry can be found in insects, due to the arrangement of wings, venation and colour patterns. In fact, aesthetic appreciation of insects is due to many factors, among which are symmetry, proportion, intensity and arrangement of colours and experience and familiarity with the insects in ques- tion. .
In the Lepidoptera horizontal dual symmetry is quite common, but in addition the lateral halves of many members possess radiating symmetry by reason of radiating wings and veins. The repetition of certain designs or colour spots arranged in curves or lines can be called running symmetry, and at times rotating symmetry is found, as, for example, the circular spots of Automeris io. Ina few instances lepidopterous insects are exploited by movements of the eyes above and below the horizontal line formed by the pos- terior edges of the first pair of wings. In many individual butter- flies and moths nearly all of the above forms of symmetry can be found, and when such a multiplicity occurs the insect assumes a complexity, which may or may not, according to one’s training, be viewed with esthetic pleasure.
Members of the Diptera possess in the main horizontal dual symmetry, and at times radiating symmetry of the wing veins. Many of the Hymenoptera present radiating symmetry due to their narrow wings radiating from the thorax, although all four elements are not equal. In mounted specimens the arrangement of the legs also tends to induce divergent radiating exploitation.
In the Orthoptera the expanded hind wings of the Acridiide contain intense radiating elements, and many of the Odonata possess a four-fold radiating symmetry due to the radiation of their narrow equal wings. In the majority of the Orthoptera and Hemiptera dual symmetry in the horizontal is most apparent. While some members are exploited in different ways, very few of such movements induce what is known as esthetic pleasure.
Many of the Coleoptera, in addition to possessing horizontal dual symmetry, which is not very apparent at times, also exhibit proportion or a pleasing inequality of parts shown in the proportion between the length and width of the insect. To many persons
90 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
the rectangle is more pleasing than the square because of its variety. For example, the Coccinellide are not as pleasing as to form as the Elateride. Symmetry at times becomes monotonous. Some members of this order are exploited horizontally from the vertical line formed by the inner edges of the wing covers and others, vertically above and below the upper edge of the abdomen or markings onthe abdomen, while still others will impress one at the first only with their pleasing or displeasing inequality of parts.
Some of the Odonata also exhibit a pleasing inequality of parts, especially those which are T-shaped when spread.
Aesthetic pleasure depends in part upon certain habitual methods of orientation and exploitation, such as the movement of the eyes and attention upwards which is preferred to a movement downwards, a movement from the eyes of left to right, which is preferred to the opposite movement, and proportion, which is more pleasing in some cases than symmetry. As mentioned before, symmetry and proportion are only two of the many factors contributing to the total result known as esthetic appreciation of insects.
THE-CADDIS-FLIES (FRICHOPTERA), OE-JAPAN--IE BY WARO NAKAHARA, TOKYO, JAPAN. (Continued from Vol. XLV, p. 327.) Family Limnophilide.
Of this family I recognize six genera as occurring in Japan, viz., Glyphotaelius, Nemotaulius, Grammotaulius, Limnophilus, Nothopsyche, and Moropsyche.
Genus Glyphotelius Steph.
1. Glyphotezlius admorsus MacLachlan.
Glyphotelius admorsus MacLachlan—Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. (3) V, p. 250 (1866); Hagen, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, XXIII, p. 446 (1873); Matsumura, Thous. Ins. Jap., I, p. 167, pl. XII, fig. 4, o& (1904); Ulmer, Cat. Coll. Selys, VI, p. 16, figs. 24 and 25, pl. I, fig. 4 (1907); Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., p. 340 (1908).
Habitat—Hondo (Gifu, Okayama, Tokyo, Inokashira, near Tokyo, Osaka, Teganuma, etc.); Kiushin. (Yanagawa, Prov. Chikugo).
March, 1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 9]
Time of appearance—April to June.
2. Glyphotzelius miyakei, sp. nov.
Head lurid reddish brown, covered with minute whitish hairs; vertex blackish; narrowly yellowish around eye; palpi fuscous. Antenna fuscous, some terminal joints suffused with yellow. Eye shiny black. 3
Pronotum covered with whitish hairs, divided in the middle by a longitudinal line. Mesothorax fuscous. Metathorax some- what yellowish.
Legs yellowish, tibia IT and tarsi of all legs more or less suffused with fuscous; spines black or fuscous black; spurs yellow.
Fore-wing tinged with brownish yellow, rather strongly pro- duced at apex and sinuated at apical margin; apical half of the wing slightly clouded with greyish; hyaline oblique band in the discal area of the wing entirely wanting; afew black stripes and dots along cubital and anal veins; pterostigma quite indistinct; hind marginal area of the wing not marked with special colour.
Hind-wing hyaline, colourless, excepting the apical area and pterostigma, which are slightly tinged with yellowish; venation ~ yellowish.
Abdomen dark brown above, somewhat paler on ventral side. In the male the 9th abdominal segment is produced at its posterior margin into a triangular portion, the edge of which is directed downwards and beset with few soft hairs; superior appendage small, piceous, and subquadrate; inferior appendage very large, not parted in the middle by an impressed line; penis very long, suddenly dilated a little before its apex, with a hairy accessory process on each side.
Length of body 13 mm.; fore-wing 20 mm.; hind-wing 16 mm.
Type—A single male obtained at Matsuyama, Prov. Iyo, Shikoku, in my collection.
This species is respectfully dedicated to Dr. T. Miyake, at whose suggestion and through whose kindness I was able to take up the study of Japanese caddis-flies.
This species is very closely allied to G. admorsus, but can be distinguished by the markings of the fore-wing and the structure of the male genitalia.
92 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Genus Nemotaulius Banks. 3. Nemotaulius brevilinea (MacLachlan).
Grammotaulius brevilinea MacLachlan, Journ. Linn. Soc. Lond., Zool:, XI,-p., 107, ple Wiig 1, o> (is7T 1); Magen, “Verh, zool.-bot. Ges. Wien., XXIII, p. 453 (1878); MacLachlan, Rev. Syn. Trichopt. Europ. Fauna, p. 34 (1894); Matsumura, Thous, Ins. Jap., I, p: 169, plo XII, fig27,, 2 (1904):
Nemotaulius brevilinea Banks, Proc. Entom. Soc. Wash., VII, p. 107 (1906); Ulmer, Genera Insectorum, Trichoptera, p. 40 (1907); Ulmer, Deutch, Ent. Zeit., p. 341 (1908).
Glyphotelius subsinuatus Ulmer, Notes Lyden Mus., XXVIII, p. 5, figs. 5, 6, @ (1906); Ulmer, Gen. Ins., Trichopt., p. 40 (1907); Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., p. 341 (1908).
MacLachlan’s original description of this species is sufficiently precise, except in that his types were females. There is no doubt in my mind that the form described by Ulmer under the name of Glyphotelius subsinuatus is the male of this species.
Habitat—Hondo (Gifu, Kangawa, Yokohama, Tsuchiura, Teganuma, Kyoto, etc.); Hokkaido (Sapporo); Shikoku (Matsu- yama).
Possibly of general distribution in Japan.
Time of appearance—April to June.
Genus Grammotaulius WKolenati. 4. Grammotaulius ornatus, sp. nov.
Head reddish brown, covered with hairs of pale yellow; a rather deeply impressed longitudinal line on vertex; narrowly pale yellow around eye; maxillary and labial palpi fulvous brown, apical joint of the latter blackish; antenna yellowish, with rather indistinct brownish annulations.
Prothorax reddish brown with a median impressed line above; covered with minute pale yellow hairs; beset with long fuscous hairs on both sides. Mesothorax fuscous black; median part of notum reddish brown, furnished with minute tubercles and hairs; tegulae brown, beset with long blackish hairs. Metathorax en- tirely dark brown. Legs yellowish; spurs and spines fuscous black.
Fore-wing semi-hyaline, slightly tinged with brownish yellow; an oblique broad hyaline band in discal area, both sides of the
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 93
band marked with large fuscous spots, several small fuscous spots in the area between radius and its sector; a large hyaline mark, with a few fuscous spots in, at the outside of discal cell; apical, marginal area rather irregularly marked with fuscous.
Hind-wing hyaline and nearly colourless, slightly tinged with yellowish at apex.
Abdomen fuscous black, hind margin of most segments some- what paler. Female with two slender, hairy processes at the apex of the abdomen.
Male unknown.
Length of body 13 mm.; fore-wing 16 mm.; hind-wing 14 mm. ‘ The type is a single female in my collection. It was captured by Mr. Arakawa at Uwajima, Prov. Iyo, Shikoku, in May, 1913.
Genus Limnophilus Leach. 5. Limnophilus correptus MacLachlan.
Limnophilus correptus MacLachlan, Rev. Syn. Trichopt. Eur. Fauna. Suppl. II, p. 18, pl. LIII, fig. 3 (1880); MacLachlan, First add. Suppl., p. 5 (1884); Matsumura, Thous. Ins. Jap., I, p. 171, pl. XII, fig. 10, 2 (1904); Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., p. 341 (1908).
Limnophilus borealis Ulmer, Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys, VI (1), p. 17, figs. 26, 27 (1907), nec Zetterstedt.
(?) Limnophilus borealis Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., p. 341 (1908). The Japanese form recorded by Ulmer as L. borealis can not be that species. He could not have examined a specimen in good condition, or he would never have considered the form identical with borealis, from which it is in reality quite distinct.
The wing-markings of this species vary to a remarkable extent.
Habitat—Hokkaido (Sapporo, Hokodate); Shikoku (Uwajima, prov. Iyo). Outside of Japan—China, Amurland.
Time of appearance—Unknown.
6. Limnophilus fuscovittatus Matsumura. Limnophilus fuscovittatus Matsumura, Thous. Ins, Jap., [, p. 171, pl. XII, fig. 18, 2 (1904); Matsumura, Syst. Ent. (Konchu bunruigaku), I, p. 190 (1907). Limnophilus subfuscus Ulmer—Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys, VI (1), p. 20, figs. 32-35 (1907); Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., p. 341 (1908).
94 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
The L. subfuscus described by Ulmer is apparently identical with L. fuscovittatus, which was overlooked by him. The original description of this species, which is not a bad one and is accom- panied by a figure, cannot be considered unrecognizable, though written in the Japanese language, for the latter is certainly not to be regarded as unintelligible by the workers of the western world. I was therefore compelled to make subfuscus a synonym of fuscovit- tatus.
Habitat—Hondo (Tokyo and Gifu).
Time of appearance—October, April—It possibly passes winter in the imago state.
7. Limnophilus affinis Curtis.
Limnephilus affinis Curtis, Phil. Mag., IV, p. 123 (1834).
Limnephilus stigmaticus Kolenati var. (?) affinis Walker, Cat. Brit. Mus. Neuropt., I, p. 27 (1852). =
Limnophilus affinis MacLachlan, Rev. Syn. Trichopt. Europ. Fauna, p. 82, pl. IX, fig. 8 (1875); Matsumura, Thous. Ins. Jap., I, p. 170, pl. XII, fig. 9, @ (1904); Matsumura, Journ. Coll. Agr. Tohoku Imp. Univ., IV, p. 16 (1911).
Several specimens from Sapporo (H. Okamoto coll.), Gifu (S. Yamamura coll.), Uwajima, Prov. Iyo (Arakawa coll.) are ~ in my collection. I have compared these with others from Europe (I am indebted to Mr. E. Petersen for several European specimens’ of this species) without discovering any difference that appears to be specific. The Japanese form is somewhat larger and occasion- ally has an oblique hyaline band on the disk of the forewing.
Distribution—Japan, Saghalien, Siberia, Europe.
Time of appearance—March and April.
8. Limnophilus amurensis Ulmer.
Limnophilus amurensis Ulmer—Stett. Ent. Zeit., Jg. 66, p. 8, taf. I, figs. 4 and 5 (1905); Ulmer, Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys, Wake Cle} p.-19, figs. 28, 29, taf. I, fig. 5 (1907); Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., p. 341 (1908). ;
Habitat—Hokkaido (Sapporo). Amurland.
Time of appearance—Unknown.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 95
9. Limnophilus ornatus Banks (?).
_ Limnophilus ornatus (?) Ulmer, Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys, VI (1) p. 20, figs. 30, 31, taf. I, fig. 6 (1907); Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., ip. 341 (1908), nec Banks.
This species is unknown to me. Ulmer recorded two female specimens from Hokkaido (‘‘Yerse’’), saying, ‘‘Die beiden Stiicke stimmen gut, wie das auch meiner Figur auf Tafel I zeigt, mit der Beschreibung von Banks iiberein; die Appendices praeanales eines amerikanischen Exemplares, das mir von C. Betten gesandt wurde (det. N. Banks) sind allerdings an der Basis etwas breiter — und schwach medianwarts statt lateralwarts gekriimmt; A
In any case it is very interesting to know that the same or a very closely allied species occur in such widely separated localities as North America and Hokkaido.
Genus Nothopsyche Banks. 10. Nothopsyche pallipes Banks. Nothopsyche pallipes Banks, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., VII, p. 107, pl. III, fig. 1 (1906); Ulmer, Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys, VI (1) p. 29, figs. 48, 49 (1907); Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., p. 341 (1908). Habitat—Hondo.- (Gifu, and Numata, Prov. Kozuke). Time of appearance—October.
11. Nothopsyche ruficollis (Ulmer).
Chilostigma ruficolle Ulmer, Stett. Ent. Zeit., Jg. 66, p. 14, tat. 1, higs, 12, 13°(1905):
Nothopsyche ruficolle Banks, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., VII, p. 107 (1906).
Nothopsyche ruficollis Ulmer, Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys, VI (1) p. 29, figs. 46, 47 (1907); Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., p. 342 (1908).
Habitat—Hondo (Tokyo, Gifu, Numata). Shikoku (Uwajima, Matsayama). Kiushin (Yanagawa, Prov. Chikugo).
Time of appearance—August to November.
12. Nothopsyche longicornis, sp. nov. Head fuscous black; frons with long piceous hairs; maxillary palpus greyish black; antenna black, much longer than fore-wing.
96 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Prothorax dark orange, beset with long fuscous hairs. Meso- and metathorax black or fuscous black. Legs blackish, with many black spines; spurs black.
Fore-wing broad, semi-hyaline, nearly uniformly smoky brown, somewhat suffused with yellowish in basal area; venation fuscous; discal cell very long, twice the length of the first apical cell. Hind-wing similar to the fore-wing, but the basal area not suffused with yellow; colour of the wing lightened in inner marginal area; venation darkish.
Abdomen dark brown, ochraceous toward apex; hind margin of each segment narrowly variegated with dark yellow. In the ~ male the posterior margin of the 9th abdominal segment produced into a quadrangular prolongation in the middle; superior appen- dage ochraceous, stout, and broad; inferior appendage very long, stout, with the apex furnished with numerous spiny hairs; viewed from above, between the inferior appendages, are seen two slender yellowish processes.
Length of body 5—5.5 mm.; length of fore-wing 9 mm.; length of hind-wing 7 mm.
The type is a single male specimen captured by Mr. S. Yama- mura at Minakuchi, Prov. Ohmi, on November 4, 1911.
This species is closely allied to N. ruficollis, but can at once be distinguished from the latter by the much smaller size. The structure of the male genitalia and a certain character in wing venation also afford unmistakable distinctive criteria between the two species.
Genus Moropsyche Banks.
13. Moropsyche parvula Banks.
Moropsyche. parvula Banks, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., VII, p. 108, pl. III, figs. 3, 8 (1906); Ulmer, Deutch. Ent. Zeit., p. 342 (1908).
This species is unknown to me. I have not yet obtained a specimen, nor have I seen any in Japan.
Habitat—Kiushiu (Hikozan), according to Banks. Time of appearance—March, according to Banks.
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. . 97 ;
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SEED CHALCID FROM SERUCE
BY S. A. ROHWER, BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY, WASHINGTON, D. C.
The following new species has been reared from the seeds of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannt), from the Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), and from Colorado blue spruce (Picea parryana). It has been reared from seeds collected in Beulah and Glenwood Springs, Colorado; while the types come from Crescent City, California. The material has all been reared by Mr. J. M. Miller.
Megastigmus pice, new species.
In Marcovitch’s correction to Crosby’s table (Can. Ent., 1914, Vol. XLVI, p. 488) the female runs to /aricis Marcovitch, but may be separated from that species as follows:
Propodeum with a median carina; face all yellow and without many long black hairs; cheeks yellow; flagellum yellow beneath; | EUS) 21h @ 2h (SV Re Mg Po ARE panne ROE Ae Ina laricis Marcovitch.
Propodeum with two short carine basally; face with median brownish spot and with many long blackish hairs; cheeks black; flagellum black; femora’ black basally........000.00... picee Rohwer.
The male differs from the descriptions of lasiocarpe and laricis
in a number of characters. Female.—Length 2.5 mm.; length of the ovipositor 2 mm. Head finely rugulose with the lines radiating from the ocelli and from the mouth parts; postocellar line one-fifth longer than the ocellocular line; intraocellar line subequal with the bs ocelloccipital line; pronotum and meso- notum transversely aciculate, on the
prescutum the aciculations are much oes finer anteriorly, and they ~are more pronounced posteriorly; axilla granular
Fig, 13.—Mesastigmus-picee, | posteriorly; seutellum reticulate, anter- stigmatal club. : : vere,
iorly with a tendency towards striation;
stigmatal club as in Figure /a. Black; palpi, mandibles, face below
a line slightly above the bases of the antenne, scape and pedicel
beneath, yellow; face medianly with longish, subcircular, brownish
spot; legs yellow, with the following black or brownish markings: March, 1915
98 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
Bases of the four anterior coxe, the four anterior femora posteriorly and the posterior femora except apices; wings hyaline, venation brownish. “
Male.—Length 2 mm. Sculpture as in the female. Black; palpi, face below a line slightly above the bases of the antenna, posterior orbits to the height of the yellow on the face, scape and pedicel beneath, spot on the pronotum laterally, spots on the abdomen laterally on tergites three and four, yellow; legs yellow, coloured as in the female except tibie and tarsi are slightly brownish.
Crescent City, California. Described from four females, one, type, and four males, one allotype, recorded under Bureau of Entomology Number Hopk. U. S. 10850}. Material collected by P. D. Sergent and reared by J. M. Miller in April and May, 1914, from seeds of Picea sitchensis.
T'ype.—Cat. No. 19066, U.S. N. M.
THE RATE OF HATCH: OF SCALE: INSECT “EGGS. BY C. W. WOODWORTH, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, CAL.
Scale insects, particularly those of the sub-family Lecanine, are among the most prolific insects, and evidently the normal death rate will be in the neighbourhood of 99.9%, since at least a thousand eggs is the normal reproduction and males are very rare in the two commonest species.
At what point in the life history the greater part of this re- duction in numbers occurs has never been investigated fully, but we have now rather extensive data upon the rate of death before hatching.
A very large series of experiments was carried on last spring upon the effect of cyanide gas, and half the eggs from each insect experimented with were kept untreated as a check. Two hundred lots of a hundred insects each were in these experiments, and, estimating 500 untreated eggs in each, the data below gives the rate of hatch determined from observations on about 10,000,000 eggs.
These studies covered five species and twelve localities, Ontario and Santa Barbara in the South, and Anderson, about
500 miles to the north, give more than the average hatch, and the March, 1915
THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST
—
99
same is true of Folsom and Merced in the center of the hot interior
valley. Only at Aromas, in one series of black scale on olive and European Fruit Scale on apricot, is the percentage far below the normal, but the black scale on apricot, both there and at Watson- ville a few miles away, the percentage of hatch is very high.
We are led to conclude that food plant or locality has very little to do with the rate of hatching which this year averaged
87.75% for the whole series.
NO. SCALE PLANT LOCALITY LOTS Hacks Scales. stone ApLICOt. sa Aromas....... See SOU: 2 ie RNS A Ontario sists 100 ee ae Watsonville....... 100 i Grape Fruit...Santa Barbara ..600... Maytenus......Berkeley............ TOD): OER SM ce Aromas: i. 4.3, 100... Peadentte sss tye ROOM. Sas 300... Bes ah ox coat ves Merced’; e.55 300... Orange... :..1.. Oapaito ses. a6: 400... Peach ssi: Berkeley............300.... Prunes. Aes San [Osese i: ..-e: 100... ee sd a eee ee Lake County ....100.... TROUD Ren atc ae oe Pe 2600 European Fruit Scale....Apricot.......... INTOMAS. Si ccsq't ee 100..:. Danigloseds. +c. LOO... Santa Barbara ..100.... Prunes. 32. Santa Clara....... 400... San" Jose:a2..:..: 3600...
Lake County...2600....
PNBOMAS S2 tikes ng 100... Anderson........... 200....
Xmas Berry..Berkeley.......... 7200
JE 6) 70) Re SAR Me a PES eee 14400 Cake Scaler, Lies ec ca Wale, cee... Berkeley............400.... pine Scaler 64/8: «so WPUBIE eet ho: Berkeley.......... 1200.... Peel Sealesic.c once: Revises tao San Jose........... 1400... Grand T Oaks 7st oat 20000...
University of California, December 31, 1914.
HA
100 97
AO
86
O98. oul:
96
87.
ATCH % %
8 %
6 %
Jo
75%
100 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST.
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INsEcts INJURIOUS TO THE HOUSEHOLD AND ANNOYING TO MAN: By Glen W. Herrick, Professor of Economic Entomology, Cornell University, New York. The McMillan Company. 470 pages, price $1.75. ~
Few persons realize to what extent our homes are liable to attacks by insects, though everyone may complain of those that are directly annoying to him personally. It will be somewhat of a surprise, therefore, to the average reader to learn from this book how many and how varied are the numbers and modes of attack of what may be termed domestic insects. The first hundred and fifty pages of thc book are. filled with the life histories and methods of control of House and Stable Flies, Mosquitoes, Bedbugs, Cockroaches and Fleas. Ants and their activities and invasions are next dealt with; then follow chapters on insects injurious to clothes and carpets, to cereals and pre- served fruits, to meats, cheese and condiments; human parasites, annoying pests of man, some troublesome invaders, wood-boring insects and a chapter on insects that are poisonous and objects of dread, concluding with instructions for fumigating. The book is illustrated with 152’ cuts and eight plates.
The writer has had occasion to refer to this work when replying to the enquiries of correspondents and has found it most convenient for the purpose, especially where one wishes to learn the well-tested methods of control. The lists of references to economic literature at the end of each chapter are also very useful. Those who are in charge of the entomological depart- ments of Experiment Stations, and who are, therefore, constantly applied to for information and advice 1especting insects of all kinds, will find this book a most convenient manual of reference. The ordinary householder may fail to appreciate it until his property or comfort is seriously attacked by one or more minute insect foes; when such troubles arise he will find all the information he requires in clear and plain language and full directions for waging a successful warefare against the invading enemy.»
Cvs. S: B:
Mailed March 10th, 1915.
Che anadiay Futomologist.
“VoL. XLVII. LONDON, APRIL, 1915 No. 4
POPULAR AND ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY.
N otEs oF Economic INTEREST FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA.* BY R. C. TREHERNE, AGASSIZ, B. C.
The Province of British Columbia, from the standpoint of insects of economic interest, occupies an extremely interesting position, both in regard to those insects indigenous to and acclima- tised within its boundaries and because the location makes the Province liable to insect migrations from points in the Pacific.
It has been said that the British Columbia field of economic entomological investigation is the most