4i; 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Description. The original characterization of this insect b)' liaron C. 



R. ( )stcn-Sacken is as foHows : 



Lenyth .13 to .14 of an inch. Male antennae not much shorter than 

 the body, of dark color, e.xcept the scapus, which is reddish ; 2.\24 | 14J 

 jointed, Haijellum with small, subglobular joints alternatini^^ with double, 

 subcylindrical ones ; pedicels between the joints about equal to the diameter 

 of the shorter joints, somewhat longer towards the end of the antennae, 

 joints verticillate, the length of the hairs of the verticils not e.xceeding the 

 length of joints. F~emale antennae less than half as long as the body, 2x12 

 jointed ; joints of fiagellum subcylindrical, more than twice longer than they 

 are broad, the basal ones being the longest ; pedicels short : the hairs, cloth- 

 ing the antennae, are shorter than each single joint. Head strongly gibbous 

 above, which gibbosity is very striking, when viewed in front or from the 

 side ; the black eyes being absolutely confluent, and covering the whole 

 gibbosity, occupy nearly the whole surface of the head, except a small s|)ace 

 round and below the antennae and a portion of the occiput, which are 

 brownish red (the brown [jredominating in several specimens). The ground 

 color of thorax is reddish; the dorsal portion however, including the scutcl- 

 lum are grayish brown ; rows of yellowish hairs indicate the direction of 

 the ordinary stripes (when rubbed off these hairs show gray stripes under 

 them); the middle stripe is divided in two by a grayish longitudinal line; 

 pleurae and sternum reddish, mixed with brownish gray ; abdomen reddish, 

 with grayish-yellow hairs, long and erect along the sides, short and appressed 

 on the back ; genitals pale. Feet brownish, with a yellowish gray, appressed 

 pubescence ; some longer hairs on the underside of the femora ; halteres 

 with dark knobs. Wings gray, second longitudinal vein arcuated in its 

 latter portion, ending immediately be)'ond the apex of the wing. 



He states that the species can be easily recognized by the extraortlinary 

 shape of the head. 



Parasites. This little insect in spite of its passing a large portion of 

 its existence within [litch masses, is suljject to parasitic attack. Miss 

 Eckel, referred to abo\e, has succeeded in lireeding three species, as 

 follows : .S y n t a s i s d i ]j 1 o s i d i s Eckel, 1* o 1 v g n o t u s p i n i c o 1 a 

 Ashm., and another belonging to the genus Eu|)elmus. 



I his insect can hartUy be con.:-idered of much economic importance, 

 yet we have observed trees which were seriously weakened by an excessive 

 How of ])itch inhabited largely by the larvae of this species, antl are there- 

 fore inclined to believe that in such cases some injury may be caused by 



