December, '11] CUSHMAN: HOSTS AND PARASITES OF BRUCHID.E 501 



C. cyaniceps Ashm., Catolaccus incertus Ashm., and Eurytoma tylo- 

 dermatis Ashm.^ 



In addition to the above parasites Meraporus hruchivorus Ashm. 

 was described (Bui. Ohio Expt. Sta., Tech. Ser. I, No. 3, p. 161) from 

 specimens reared from this host. 



Bruchus ochraceus Schaeffer, Mus. Brooklyn Inst. Arts & Sci., 

 Science BuL, Vol. I, No. 10, 1907, p. 303. 



> This species was found by the writer at Alexandria and Forbing, 

 La., and Victoria, Texas, infesting the two-seeded pods of a small 

 species of Vicia (near hirsuta). The first collection was made at 

 Alexandria on September 14, 1907. At this time most of the pods 

 were still soft and green, and none of the insects had emerged, but 

 examination of some of the pods disclosed adults ready for emergence. 

 This condition at such a late date, together with the fact that the pods 

 scatter their seeds when ripe, would seem to indicate that the species 

 is at most double brooded. That certain individuals of the second 

 generation hibernate in the pods was shown by the fact that a very 

 few pods collected at Alexandria on January 24, 1909, which had not 

 opened, gave forth later one specimen of Bruchus and a number of 

 parasites. Also, from nearly every lot collected early in the fall, 

 specimens of both the Bruchus and its parasites were reared during 

 the following spring. This indicates a second generation, within 

 the breeding cage, of the parasites as well as of the host. The pod is 

 prevented from opening when infested by a full-grown larva or a pupa 

 by reason of the seed being securely fastened to the valves by the larva. 

 The latest date of emergence of this species in the spring was February 

 12. This specimen, however, emerged from a lot of pods, which 

 was kept in a vial indoors, and is probably somewhat earlier than the 

 normal type of emergence under natural conditions. 



The parasite species reared from this host were as follows: Heter- 

 ospilus prosopidis Vier., Microhracon sp. Cerambycobius cyaniceps 

 Ashm., C. cushmani Cwfd., and Eunjtoma sp. All of these breed 

 singly as primary parasites. The first mentioned is the most abundant, 

 while C. cushmani was reared only from the Victoria material. This 

 latter species has, in fact, been reared from any host in only one 

 locality outside of South Texas. This was at Alexandria, La., where 

 a few individuals were reared from the boll weevil, and where a careful, 

 but unsuccessful, search was made by the writer for the native hosts 

 of the parasite. The finding of the breeding habit of B. ochraceus 

 was one of the results of this search, the two lots of Vicia pods secured 

 at that time having been collected at the edges of the two cotton fields 

 from which C. cushmani had been reared. Of Microbracon sp. only 



« See footnote p. 496. 



