391 



greater strengths might safely be used with a dusting machine, but 

 they were not necessary. 



During the studies the following parasites of P. scabra were recovered, 

 none of which seems to have been previously recorded from this host : — 

 Trichogramma fretiosa, Kiley, a very important egg- parasite, attacking 

 about 50 per cent, of the eggs examined ; the Tachinids, Phorocera 

 claripennis, Macq., which is moderately important, Exorista hoar mine, 

 Coq., Frontina aletiae, Riley, and Euphorocera floridensis, Tns. One 

 each «jf Anthrax lateralis, Say, and Sarcopha<ja c.imbicis, Tns., were 

 reared ; also a Hymenopteron, apparently a new species and new genus 

 of Campopleginae. 



Hayes (W. P.). The Life Histories of some Kansas Lachnosterna. 

 Jl. Econ. Entom., Concord, N.H., xiii, no. 3, June 1920, pp. 303- 

 318, 2 ligs. 



These notes are the results of studies of the Lachnosterna of Kansas 

 begun in 1916, and amplify the observations made by Davis [R.A.E., 

 A, iv, 281 ; vi, 568, and vii, 256] ; they deal in particular with two 

 species not discussed by him, namely, L. rubiginosa, Lee, which is 

 second in abundance among the night-flying species in Manhattan 

 district, and L. submucida, Lee, which is one of the rarer species. 

 Other species dealt with, in the order of their abundance, are L. crassis- 

 sima, Blanch., L.futilis, Lee, L. rugosa, Mels.,i. implicata, Horn, and 

 L. vekemens, Horn. The relative abundance of these beetles is dis- 

 cussed. The flight season begins about 18th April and may last 

 until mid-August. The maximum flight occurs in May and June, 

 except in the case of L. submucida, which pupates in June and July 

 and requires a two-year life-cycle. L. futilis, L. rubiginosa and 

 L. vehemens usually appear first, followed by L. crassissima and L. rugosa. 

 Although L. crassissima is the most abundant species, its comparative 

 absence on its known food-plants indicates a preference for some food 

 that has not yet been found. It has been stated that it probably 

 feeds on grass or low herbage. A hst of the known food- plants of each 

 species has been compiled, and the life-histories of the different species 

 are discussed, and summarised in a series of tables. The egg-stages 

 were found to average from 14 to nearly 30 days. The larval periods 

 vary, both two and three-year life-cycles occurring. L. vehemens 

 apparently always requires three years, and a three-year cycle for 

 L. submucida is indicated in some cases besides the two-year cycle 

 referred to above. The pre-pupal stage averages from 6J- to 9 days for 

 the different species, the pupal stage averaging from 22 to 30i days. 

 The averages of the two and three-year life-cycles for the different 

 species were 478 and 808 days for L. crassissima, 476 and 805 days for 

 L. rubiginosa, 462 and 827 days for L. futilis, 461 and 814 days for 

 L. rugosa, 412and 751daysfor L.imjdicata, and 845 days fori, vehemens. 

 The average period for L. submucida was slightly over 711 days. 



The natural enemies of Lachnosterna encountered in the course 

 of these studies are enumerated and have almost all been previously 

 recorded by Davis \loc. cit. vii, 25G]. Merraethids (hairworms) have 

 fre(iuently been reared from the grubs. Nematodes, probably Diplo- 

 gaster aerivora, Cobb, killed many grubs in the rearing cages in 1919, 



