August, "16] CORY: COLUMBINE LEAF-MINER 419 



It is the plan and purpose in directing the apicultural work of the 

 state, to unify or centraUze it and in so far as possible to correlate it. 

 Thus the College and State Board of Agriculture join in certain features 

 of the work. This is desirable from the standpoint of eliminating 

 duplication. 



THE COLUMBINE LEAF-MINER' 



By E. N. Cory, College Park, Md. 

 Historical 



This insect was first described by Hardy in the Annals and Magazine 

 of Natural History, Vol. 4, p. 385, 1849 (Second Series, No. 24), under 

 the title "XL, on the Primrose leaf miner; with notice of a proposed 

 new genus and characters of three species of Diptera, by Mr. James 

 Hardy." 



In this paper Mr. Hardy separates Phytomyza from Chromatomyia 

 on the basis of the shape of the pupa and the place of pupation, the 

 latter pupating in the leaf. 



It is of interest to note that considerable credence was placed on the 

 myth, that the coming of a flying serpent was forecast by the presence 

 of the tracery of the leaf -miner on the leaves. In the words of Hardy: 

 "A flj'ing serpent w411 poison the air, which becoming impure will cause 

 the death of 19 out of 20 (people) ; and that the time will be known by 

 this particular appearance on the leaves, which the pseudo prophet 

 calls the reflection of the serpent." 



Hardy records the insect as appearing first August 13. Very little 

 biological data of value is recorded^ 



Kaltenbach records the insect in "Die Pflanzenfeinde aus der Klasse 

 der Insekten" 1872, p. 13, placing Phyt.albiceps Meig., tninuscula Gour. 

 and ancholice Rob.-Des. in synonymy. He states that the larvae begin 

 to work in June following a winding course, ending in an enlarged spot 

 and finally end their wanderings at the time of frost in the earth. 



In this country Dr. W. E. Britton, State Entomologist of Connecti- 

 cut, was the first to record its presence, p. 145, Report of the Con- 

 necticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 1894. 



In this account Dr. Britton described the larva as a footless grub 1-16 

 inch in length feeding in the parenchymatous tissues. The method 

 of pupation, in the last larval skin, attached to the leaf is stated. 

 Several broods are suggested, since the work of the insect was observed 

 from June 26 to frost. Destruction of the infested leaves is suggested 



Contribution from the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. 



