82 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OE VICTORIA : 



field, it behoves those interested to make all the observa- 

 tions possible, as only by a close study of the life history 

 of these pests can we hope to successfully combat them. 

 In a most interesting publication written and kindly sent 

 to me by my good friend, Professor F. M. Webster (whom 

 I had the pleasure of meeting when he was here), entitled 

 Vegetal Parasitism among Insects^ he gives a most lucid 

 and exhaustive account of the success which, in America, 

 has been achieved by the use of many of these parasitic 

 fungi, which are designated as Entomogenous Fungi ; but, 

 as these are not within my province, I must merely draw 

 your attention to the work which is from the Journal of 

 the Columbus Horticultural Society^ April 1894, as being 

 well worth much thoughtful study, showing as it does the 

 great possibilities which may accrue by the introduction 

 and practical uses of these fungi against our insect enemies. 

 On Fig. lY, of our plate is shown a beetle ( Calosoma 

 Schayeri) Avhich both in the larval and perfect stages is 

 very destructive to grubs of many kinds, especially those 

 which crawl on the ground. This beetle is commonly 

 known as the " Saffron Beetle," owing to a fluid which it 

 emits and which has a most pronounced saffron odour. 

 It is a nocturnal insect, and on hot summer nights is 

 attracted by the strong incandescent lights in the city 

 and suburbs. In Europe, and in America also, there are 

 several species of this genus which prey almost solely 

 upon other insects, it being most voracious, Calosoma 

 sycophanta being one of the largest as well as one of the 

 most beautiful of the genus. Several wasps. Ichneumons, 

 and other hymenopterous insects also destroy immense 

 numbers of caterpillars, and it is an interesting sight to 

 watch females of the larger Ichneumons probing with 

 their ovipositors about the bark of trees in search of 

 grubs in which they can deposit their eggs. As this is 

 being wa*itten, a curious occurrence has attracted my 

 notice, viz., in the dead body of a locust, which had been 

 killed by the fungus introduced for the purpose of ex- 

 periment and before alluded to, was found a caterpillar of 



