THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



243 



INSECTS REARED FROM GALLS ON MUHLENBERGIA 



MEXICANA. 



BY F. M. WEBSTER. 



Eight years ago, in Indiana, I found a gall on this grass that had 

 somewhat the appearance of a diminutive ear of corn with the husks, but 

 more pointed and minus the silk. The husks (I can find no better term 

 for them) were imbricated and pointed, being placed regularly, one over 

 the other, leaving the junctures along the margins. In this gall I found a 

 pupa or, as seems now more probable, a puparium, but reared no insect 

 therefrom. The past spring, Prof L. H. McFadden, of Westerville, Ohio, 

 kindly sent me a number of. these galls, from which, and the stems to 

 which they were attached, I reared the following species : — 



I St. Several specimens of an 6^j^/;z/^. 2nd. A. Fteromalid. 

 3rd. \Eurytomid. 4th. A great number of Za^/^/Z^r^, prob- 

 ably the author of the gall. 5th. Numerous examples of a 

 species of Fo/ygnotus, probably a parasite on the Lasioptera. 

 6th. Specimens of a species oi Eupelmus that might have come 

 from eggs of Orthoptera, which had been placed in the gall by 

 the parent, or from the puparia of a Chlorops, of which I 

 reared no adults. 



Thus, from a single species of gall, with a itw inches of 

 the stems to which they were attached, were reared six species, 

 with proof of their having contained the seventh, while another, 

 the eighth, had used it as a nidus. 



Replying to a question by Mr. Lintner, Mr. Webster stated 

 that it was possible that all the species named did not emerge 

 from one gall, as there were about twelve galls in the breeding 

 jar, but all from the same locality. It was not known how 

 many came from a single gall, or how many from any particular 

 gall. He also remarked upon the recent researches of Mr. 

 Enock in regard to the Hessian Fly, who found that the breast 

 bone of the larvae was used in turning around within the puparium. 



Mr. Smith remarked that in all species of Cecidomyia which he had 

 reared the larvte turned, but he did not see the necessity of using the 

 breast bone. 



Mr. Webster asked if there were not Cecidomyidae without a breast 

 bone, and thought that if this could be ascertained the question of its use 

 in turning would be settled. 



"im 



mm 



Muhlenbergia 



Mexicana 



Gall. 



