24 INSECUTOR INSCITI/E MENSTRUUS 



SOME EARLIER OBSERVATIONS ON THE HABITS 

 OF APHIOCHAETA JULI (BRUES). 



{Diptera, Phorida) 

 By FREDERICK KNAB 



In his recently published revision of the North American Phoridae 

 Mr. J. R. Malloch has put on record observations on Aphiochaeta juli,^ 

 made by Mr. H. S. Barber, w^hich establish beyond a doubt the para- 

 sitic habit of this species, suggested by the observations of Dr. S. Grae- 

 nicher ^ and Mr. Nathan Banks.^ During the past summer Dr. J. A. 

 Nelson, independently of Mr. Barber and without knowledge of his obser- 

 vations, also witnessed the oviposition of this species in a myriapod and 

 succeeded in rearing specimens of the fly from the host. It is to be hoped 

 that both of these gentlemen will publish their observations in detail. 

 Dr. George Dimmock has recently informed me that at least two obser- 

 vations similar to those of Graenicher and Banks have been recorded 

 and I point them out herewith so that they may be properly placed. 



The first record is by J. A. Lintner, who had the observation from a 

 friend.* Not even the order to which the insects attacking the myriapod 

 belonged is indicated, but from what Messrs. Banks, Barber and Nelson 

 have told me of the behavior of Aphiochaeta juli, it seems reasonably 

 certain that the " swarm of minute gnats making an lulus unhappy " were 

 that species ; at least we must so consider them until other species of 

 Phoridae with identical habits are turned up. The note of Lintner called 

 forth another from Dimmock, who also had observed minute Diptera 

 swarming about a myriapod some years earlier.^ Not having the speci- 

 mens available, he likened them to Drosophilidae, which corresponds very 

 well for size, and general appearance to the unaided eye, to Aphiochaeta. 

 While the account is not so vivid, having been written some years after 

 the observation was made, it seems referable here. The suggestion that 

 the flies were attracted to the secretion of the myriapod was, of course, 

 purely hypothetical. 



iProc. U. S. Nat. Mus.. vol. 43, p. 459 (1912). 



^Brues, C. T., Joum. N. Y. Ent. Soc, vol. 16, p. 201 (1908). 



*Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., vol. 13, p. 212 (191 1). 



*Canad. Ent.. vol. 16. p. 80 (1884). 



•'Canad. Ent.. vol. 16. p. 100(1884). 



Dale of publication, February 20, 1913. 



