84 



and cattle for the purpose of catching Tabanids and other stock 

 pests is so noticeable that it has received the common name of 

 horse-guard.* 



One commonly sees from one to three or four of these at work 

 around a single animal. 



Bemhex belfragci Cr. belongs to the same family as the last and 

 like it is an important enemy of horseflies. It has different habits, 

 however, for instead of capturing prey around animals, it flies 

 about the fields in the vicinity of marshes and captures males and 

 females at their breeding grounds. It is a common occurrence 

 to see a specimen carrying an adult Tabanid. 



Both the above species deposit their eggs in burrows which 

 they make in the sand, and they store the burrows with insects 

 for the young to feed upon when they hatch. It is not uncommon 

 to find from half a dozen to a dozen specimens of Tabanus in a 

 single burrow, besides other insects. Professor Morgan says that 

 he has taken seventeen horseflies, one Syrphid, one Tachinid and 

 one Stratiomyiid from a single burrow. 



Crabro lO-maculatus Say, another wasp, is an expert at catching 

 Tabanids, and the writer often saw them capture the flies and 

 carry them away. None of their nests were found, but it would 

 appear that they have about the same habit in this regard as the 

 Bembecids. 



Erax maculatus Macq. and species of Deromyia were rather 

 common and were often observed feeding upon different species of 

 Tabanidse. 



That chickens may become a factor in destroying stock pests 

 was proved by the fact that they were often observed following 

 cattle in the pasture, picking off such Tabanids as alighted on the 

 lower extremities of the animals for the purpose of sucking blood. 



I wish to express my appreciation for many kindnesses shown 

 me during my stay at the Gulf Biologic Station. Professor Mor- 

 gan and his co-workers have a rare opportunity for investigating 

 the economic and other biologic problems of interest to the people 

 of that section of the country. 



METHODS OF CONTROL. 



In my "Tabanidse of Ohio" I suggested the use of kerosene on 

 the surface of the water for killing larvae hatched from eggs de- 

 posited over water. Of course this method could not be used in 



*A name which it shares with the great digger wasp (iiphecius [Stizus] speciosus 

 Dru.) 



