210 [Sept. 



nicatlon on llie " Wheal Mids:e" of Nova Scotia, reported in favor 

 of publication in the Proceedings. 



Notice of speciinetis of the Wheat Mitlge from Nova Scotia. 

 By J. W. Dawson. 



Tills destructive little creature has, within the last four or five years, extended 

 its ravagos to Nova Scotia. It made its appearance first in the western counties, 

 and has gradually extended its limits eastward. It is now found in every part 

 of the Province, and has, in some districts, caused an almost total abandonment 

 of wheat culture. The specinnens accompanying; this notice, were reared from 

 the larva state; and as 1 believe this has not often been attempted with success, 

 I shall shortly state the means by vrhich they were obtained. 



Wiien I first became acquainted with this insect, I procured specimens of the 

 full grown larvcn and placed them in a phial, with the view of observing their 

 assumption of the perfect state in spring. None of them, however, appeared, 

 and 1 subsequently learned that sinailar experiments had been tried without suc- 

 cess ; the belief among entomologists being, that the larva descends into the 

 ground to complete its changes. I could not, however, ascertain that this belief 

 had been confirmed by actual experiment or observation. 



To satisfy myself on this point, (obviously of importance in reference to the 

 means which may be devised for destroying these animals,) I obtained a fresh 

 supply of the larvce in that motionless and apparently torpid stale in which th'iy 

 are found in the ripe wheat in autumn. In the month ot November, a few dozens of 

 these larvae were placed on the surface of moist soil in a flower pot, in which a 

 carnation was growing. In the course of two days they had, with the exception 

 of a few which were crushed or otherwise injured, descended into the ground, 

 leaving their delicate membranous cases on the surface. Their power of burrow- 

 ing havinsr been thus ascertained, they were allowed to remain undisturbed during 

 winter, the spot where they had disappeared being covered with a glass shade. 

 During winter the flower pot was watered as the growth of the carnation re- 

 quired. 



A similar experiment having been tried in another pot, the insects were sought 

 for in the ground after their disappearance. Very few were found, and these had 

 still the larva form. They were, however, most flexible and showed some 

 degree of activity. On being placed on the surface, they endeavoured to burrow, 

 by means of a worm like motion, and in doing so they seemed to have the power 

 of fixing the anterior part of the body pretty firmly to the soil. They were 

 found to have penetrated to the depth of about an inch. It thus appeared that 

 the stiffness and torpidity of the larvae in the ripe grain, are but temporary, and 

 that when they fall Irom their place within the chaff scales, upon the moist ground, 

 and cast their skins, they accjuire the activity and strength necessary lor pene- 

 trating into the soil, while still in the larva form. 



The insects were not again seen until the last week of June, when they began 

 to appear in the imago state, and as early a> the tenth of July the whole had 

 emerged. At that date there was no wheat in blossom in this vicinity, but the 

 development of the insectis had probably been hastened by the warmth and shelter 

 ol the house. The emergence of the midg<-s aj)peare(l to take place in the eve- 



