THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



CALLIEPHIALTES IN CALIFORNIA. 



By ITakky S. Smith. Superintendent, and E. J. Vosler, Assistant Superintendent of ihe 



State Insectary. 



Introduction. 



Ill tln' spi-iiig of 1})1;{ investigation of the life history and ccononiie 

 status of tlie Callitphiallcs parasite of the codling moth was undertaken 

 by the Insectary, principally for the reason that the idea seemed to be 

 prevalent to a certain extent that the parasite was of practical value 

 in the control of the codling moth. Demands were freiiuently made 

 upon the Insectary for colonies of the insect. It was therefore felt that 

 more should be known regarding its habits and economic possibilities. 

 Recently there has appeared, in the Journal of Agricultural Researeli, 

 United States Department of Agriculture, an excellent i)aper on this 

 insect by Mr. R. A. Cushman.^ As ]\Ir. Cush man's observations were 

 confined to Virginia, and since we have found that under California 

 conditions there occur certain deviations from the habits and develop- 

 ment of this parasite as recordetl by him, we have thought it desii-al)l(' 

 to publish such infornuition as we have, leaving out entirely or touching 

 but lightly those points covered by the above mentioned paper. 



Identity of the Species. 



With regard to the scientific name of the parasite, we have nothing to 

 add to what has already been published. It has always been known in 

 California as Callicphialtes messor Grav., but it is, of course, quite pos- 

 sible that the original specimens were incorrectly determined as that 

 species. 



Introduction Into California. 



This species was first brought to the attention of the public from an 

 economic standpoint l)y Mr. George Compere, who discovered its habit 

 of breeding upon the codling moth in Spain in 1904. He collected a 

 number of the adult parasites and forwarded them to California in a 

 living condition. They were received by the State Board of Horti- 

 culture, by which body Mr. Compere was employed, conjointly with the 

 West Australian Government. The Board was successful in getting the 

 species to reproduce in confinement, and within a few months it was 

 possible to make several field colonies in infested orchards. The rapidity 

 and ease with which the parasite bred in confinement coupled with 

 Mr. Compere's faith in the species, led the officials who had in charge 

 the establishment of the parasite to expect very much, resulting in the 

 publication of claims which many believed to be unwarranted. Since 

 the early days of its introduction it has been distributed from the State 

 Insectary by thousands, not only to the various localities of this State, 

 but to other states and countries as well. There is nowhere on record 



'Journal of Agricultural Research, U. S. D. A., Vol. I, p. 211. 

 10522 



