THE DECEPTIVE ^VHEAT-FLY : DESCRIPTION^. 201 



Preventives. 

 As the harm done by this insect would usually precede its detection, 

 it is evident that the means to be employed against it should be of a 

 nature to prevent the attack. For this purpose, soaking the corn be- 

 fore planting in gas-tar or copperas water has been recommended. Any 

 strong-smelling material that may be convenient for use would proba- 

 bly i)revent the deposit of the eggs. Where there is reason to appre- 

 hend an attack, a small quantity of sand saturated with kerosene oil 

 and sprinkled over the corn before covering, would, in all probability, 

 not only preserve it from this insect, but might also protect it from 

 destruction by grubs. 



Hylemyia deceptiva Fitch. 

 Tlie Deceptive W7ieat-Fhf. 



(Ord. DIPTERA : Fam. ANTHOMYIIDiE.) 

 Fitch : in Trans. N. Y. St. Agricul. Soc, for 1855, xv, 1856, p. 533: First and 



Second Rept. Ins. N. Y. , 1856, p. 301 , pi. 1 , f . 3 (description). 

 Glover: MS. Notes Journ.-Dipt, 1874, p. 27, pi. 10, f. 11 (mention). 

 OsTEN Sacken ; Cat. Dipt. N. Amer. , 1878, p. 167 (citation). 

 Hagen : in Canad. Entomol. , xiii, 1881, p. 49, no. 62 (in Mus. Comp. Zotil. coll). 



Our only knowledge of this Anthomyian thus far, is that obtained 

 from the notice above cited of Dr. Fitch. It was found by him in abun- 

 dance upon the heads of wheat, in the latter part of June, and received 

 from him its specific name, from the fact that it had been commonly 

 but erroneously believed to be the fly that deposited the eggs within the 

 headsof wheat which j^roduced thelittle yellowlarvaof the wheat-midge, 

 Diplosis tritici. Nothing is known of its larva or of the habits of the 

 fly, except that it was so numerous as to attract common attention to 

 it, as it hovered over and alighted upon the heads of wheat at the time 

 of their flowering. 



It is described by Dr. Fitch as being "a quarter of an inch in length 

 to the tip of the wings. It is ash-gray, with black legs, antennae and 

 feelers. Abdomen with a row of longitudinal brown-black spots form- 

 ing an interrupted stripe along 

 its middle. Thorax in a par- 

 ticular reflection of the light, 

 showing a brown stripe anteri- 

 orly, and on each side of it a 

 brown spot. A tawny-yellow 

 spot upon the front, more con- 



FiG. 57.— The Deceptive wbeat-fly, Hylemyia spicUOUS in the females, and 

 DECEi'TivA, enlarged about four times, with a . . , , i i , • 



bind leg still more enlarged. passing into a black Stnpe upon 



the top of the head." It is shown enlarged in Fig. 57, after Fitch. 

 2G 



