EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 281 



hatch till late in July, or August in the more northern states, they do 

 far less harm than do those iusects that defoliate the trees early in the 

 season. Yet this insect does do harm, even where it is only single-brooded, 

 and this, together with the very untidy appearance of trees, which are dis- 

 figured by its unsightly webs, make anything connected with its life 

 economy matters of special interest. As this insect works on about one 

 hundred of our fruit and shade trees and shrubs, it is pretty certain to be 

 observed by every one, and to practically interest every person who owns 

 or admires trees and plants. 



Dr. C V. Riley (see report of entomologist, U. S. department of agri- 

 culture for 1886), refers to the following enemies of this insect: Mantis 

 Carolina, Prionidus cri status, Euchistus servus and Podisus spinosus 

 among predaceous species; and Telenomus bifidus — an egg parasite — 

 Meteorus hyphantrias, Apanteles hyphantria?, Limneria pallipes among 

 Hymenopterous parasites, and a species of Tachina. During the past 

 summer Mr. J. C. Duffey of the Missouri Botanical gardens, St. Louis, 

 discovered and carefully worked out the entire life history of a Carabid 

 which in Missouri seems to be a very pronounced enemy of this fall web- 

 worm. This insect is Plochionus timidus, a rather small Carapid, which 

 is double-brooded and passes through all its changes right in the webs of 

 the caterpillar. Mr. Duffey gives the entire life history of this interesting 

 beetle with illustrations. 



The past season Mr. C. F. Baker, one of my students in entomology for 

 whom I name this species, reared another parasite (Fig. 4) from H. cunea 

 which bids fair to do its part in staying the ravages of the insect. This is 

 a small Braconid fly, which I think is undescribed. This insect destroyed 

 the past season at least five sixths of the larvae of H. cunea which were 

 under investigation. Though a large number spun cocoons, as yet only 

 three males have been reared. As these were kept in a breeding jar, it is 

 possible that some untoward condition destroyed them. Possibly more 

 will yet develop. 



In this insect, the mandibles are as usual, clypeus scarcely emarginate, 

 the sutures of the abdomen well marked, second cubital cell large and 

 quadrate, abdomen petiolate and the anterior wings with three sub- 

 marginal cells. We thus see that this Braconid belongs to the same 

 genus as does one of Dr. Btley's species, Meteorus hyphantria?, which 

 infests this same Hyphantria cunea. As Prof. L. O. Howard informs me 

 that this is probably an undescribed species, I append the following 

 description* 



meteorus bakeri, n. sp. male. 



Yellowish brown, with black markings, shining, 

 pubescent; head yellowish brown; eyes, a square 

 i area containing the ocelli, and the occiput black; 

 antennae pubescent dusky; mouth-parts, whitish; 

 dorsal surface of the prothorax, except a narrow 

 black posterior margin, yellowish brown ; pectus, 

 light yellow; mesothorax brown, with a central 

 rectangular area and the lateral lobes shining black; 

 Fig. 4-Maie Fly. tegulae, pale yellow, metathorax black, except the tip 



which is dusky brown, surface reticulated; wings hyaline, iridescent; 



nervures and stigma dusky, second cubital cell sub-quadrate, broader 



36 



