220 journal of economic entomology [vol. 7 



Classification and Original Description 



Eumicrosoma benefica Gahan is a very minute insect belonging to 

 the hymenopterous family Prodotrypidce and to the sub-family Tele- 

 nominee. Mr. Gahan - has erected a new genus and species for this 

 insect. He places the genus near Tiphodytes but readily separates it 

 from that genus by antennal and venational characters. The follow- 

 ing technical description of the species is taken from Mr. Gahan's 

 paper: 



Female — Length .75 mm. Head from above more than twice as broad as long 

 antero-posteriorly, the vertex faintly sculptured, face perfectly smooth and polished, 

 the region below the eyes faintly punctured; antennal scape not quite reaching the 

 front ocellus; pedicel longer than joints one and two of the funicle combined; funicle 

 five-jointed, the joints sub-equal, not longer than broad; club four-jointed, joint one 

 much larger than the last funicle joint, but smaller than the following club joints 

 which are equal and sub-quadrate. Mesoscutum faintly reticulated anteriorly, the 

 disc perfectly smooth and highly polished with a very few small round punctures; 

 scutellum, postscutellum and true metanotum smooth without punctures; propodeum 

 as described; anterior margin of the forewing to the apex of the venation with only a 

 few short marginal cilia, beyond with long cilia, the longest being twice the width of 

 the wing. First segment of the abdomen nearly twice as broad as long with coarse 

 longitudinal stria-, second segment similarly striate at base and much more faintly 

 so beyond to the apex. 



Head and thorax shining black. Antenna^, palpi, legs including coxse and the 

 whole abdomen reddish yellow. Antennal pedicel and club slightly fuscous. 



Male — Antennse fuscous, sub-moniliform, without a distinct club; pedicel globose, 

 thicker but not longer than the first funicle joint; funicle joints one, two and three 

 slightly larger than the following; apical joint of the club as long as the two preceding 

 joints combined; abdomen a little shorter than in the female and distinctly fuscous 

 on the apical half. Otherwise like the female. 



Life History Summary of Original Host 



The life history of the chinch bug is so well known that it will only 

 be necessary to give a very brief outline of it as it occurs under Kansas 

 conditions. The chinch bug is found in all parts of Kansas, except 

 in the extreme western counties. The adult bugs emerge from hiber- 

 nation during the first weeks of April and eggs are found from the last 

 of April to the first of July. The first brood reaches maturity during 

 the early part of July and the eggs of this brood are found from the 

 middle of July until October. The second brood begins to reach 

 maturity about the last of August, although the majority do not reach 

 maturity until the middle of September. These adults migrate to 



2 A large number of specimens of the parasite were sent to Mr. A. B. Gahan, ento- 

 mological assistant. United States Bureau of Entomology, for describing. A full 

 description of the genus and species appears in the Proceedings of The United States 

 National Museum, vol. 46, pp. 442-43. 



