382 Bulletin 265. 



In 1884, Wachtl," apparently unaware of Perris's paper, published 

 an account of his observations and although they were less extensive 

 he concludes, "There can be no doubt that Megastigmus collaris 

 [=aculeatus] is not a parasite but a plant feeder. ' ' 



We are not aware of any previous record of this insect in America. 



Life history. — The larvae become full growTi in the fall and so nearly 

 fill the seed that it is very difficult to remove one without crushing it. 

 They hibernate as larvae and pupate in the spring. The adults emerge 

 from the seed through round holes shown in Fig. 84 and may be found 

 ovipositing on the rose-hips during June and July. 



The egg is unknown. The larva when full groAvn is about 2.8 mm. 

 long but the size varies considerably with the size of the seed; it is white 

 with brown mandibles; the body is thick and strongly curved; it is 

 smooth, without hairs or tubercles. The mandibles have only three 

 teeth on the inner margin (Fig. 81). 



The adults vary greatly in size and coloration (Figs. 82 and 83). The 

 size depends in great measure on the size of the kernel devoured by the 

 larva. Those reared from the small seeds of the wild rose average 

 considerably smaller than those from the larger cultivated roses. The 

 females are 2.3 to 3.3 millimeters long with the ovipositor from 1.6 to 

 4 mm. in length. The males are from 1.9 to 3.6 mm. long. 



The lightest colored females are reddish yellow with a brown spot 

 on the vertex and a brownish area on the dorsum of abdomen. The 

 antennae are dusky with the scape and pedicel yellowdsh brown; the 

 ovipositor is dusky. In the darker forms the brown spot on the head 

 extends from the base of the antennae over the vertex between the 

 ocelli and covers the occiput; the anterior margin of the meson otum is 

 brownish and the propodeum is either wholly or in part brownish. 



The males are all much darker than the females, in extreme cases 

 being almost black except the legs, face, scape beneath, the tip of abdo- 

 men and distal end of petiole; but all gradations are found. In all 

 specimens examined the median portion of the postscutellum is yellowish. 



Oviposition was observed several times and was similar to that des- 

 cribed for the Apple-seed Chalcis. 



The adults have been reared in numbers from both wild and culti- 

 vated roses at Ithaca, N. Y. ; from a wild rose from the top of one of the 

 high hills near White Church, N. Y.; from wild roses from Wells ville, 

 N. Y., and Waukegan, 111., in the latter case, growing on the sand dunes 

 along Lake Michigan. They were also reared from material sent in 

 from Durham, N. H., by Mr. Charles Spooner. In the collection of the 



>« Wien. Ent. Zeit., III., pp. 38 39. 



