THE APPLE-LEAF BUCCULATKIX : ITS PARASITES. 



159 



The species occurs in remote portions of the United States. In- 

 quiries iu relation to it have been received by rae from Massachusetts. 

 A specimen of it, collected in Texas, is in the Cambridge (Mass.) 

 Museum, and it occurs also in Missouri, in the vicinity of St. Louis. 



Parasites. 



The ravages of this J5est have already received quite a check from 

 parasitic attack. Small as the insect is, there are insects still more 

 minute which are specially adapted for seeking it out and preying 

 upon it. 



In the 4th Keport on the Insects of Missouri, 1872, p. 51, mention 

 is made of a minute Chalcis-fly, allied to the genus Euhphtts, preying 

 upon the apple-leaf Bucculatrix, many of the cocoons having been 

 found with minute round holes at one end, through which the para- 

 sites had emerged. 



A number of Chalcids were bred by me in 18S0, from some Buccu- 

 latrix cocoons received from Western New York, which were believed 

 to be the same as those above referred to. Some of them were accord- 

 ingly forwarded to Professor Riley for comparison with the examples 

 obtained by him. They proved to be identical, and to belong to the 

 genus Cirrospilus ; and as Professor Riley had been studying the 

 species, he has kindly given me the manuscript of its description, to- 

 gether with an excellent figure of it, for publication in the present 

 notice. 



CiKUOSPiLUS FLAViciNCTus Riley, nov. sp. (Fig. 42.) 



Male. — Length, 1.3 mm.; expanse, 2.8 mm. Antennae seven-jointed; scape 

 originating low down, as long as three succeeding joints together, which are sub- 

 equal ; no ring-joints ; club rather longer than preceding joint, one-tliird broader, 



with the two divisions 

 faiut. Body polished 

 and very finely imbri- 

 cate above. Color 

 a bright yellow, pret- 

 tily marked with 

 black, liaving a blue 

 metallic reflection, es- 

 pecially on the tho- 

 rax as follows : an- 

 tennal articulations, 

 especially at the base 

 of pedicel (joint 2); 

 the eyes and top of 



Fio. 42.— The Cirrospilus parasite of the apple-loaf Bucculatrix: liead between them ; 

 the natural size showu in the hair-lines. the thorax above ex- 



cept a broad transverse band including two joints next the base, the upper surface 

 of the hind coxae and (in one specimen) the terminal half of the hind tibiae. Tips 



