﻿116 
  

   PAPERS 
  BEAD. 
  

  

  Notes 
  on 
  Moth^Flies. 
  [Psychodidae, 
  Diptera] 
  

  

  BY 
  MBS. 
  OTTO 
  H. 
  SWEZEY. 
  

  

  During 
  the 
  past 
  month 
  these 
  came 
  in 
  swarms 
  to 
  our 
  lights 
  

   at 
  night, 
  to 
  be 
  swept 
  up 
  by 
  thousands 
  the 
  following 
  morning. 
  

   They 
  made 
  us 
  very 
  uncomfortable, 
  as 
  we 
  were 
  very 
  apt 
  to 
  

   inhale 
  them 
  thru 
  the 
  nose, 
  or 
  swallow 
  them 
  while 
  talking 
  or 
  

   eating. 
  They 
  persisted 
  in 
  coming 
  for 
  so 
  many 
  nights 
  that 
  I 
  

   became 
  curious 
  to 
  learn 
  why 
  they 
  so 
  suddenly 
  appeared 
  to 
  

   spoil 
  our 
  peaceful 
  evenings. 
  Not 
  only 
  were 
  we 
  personally 
  

   annoyed 
  but 
  they 
  persisted 
  in 
  falling 
  into 
  the 
  food, 
  getting 
  

   into 
  the 
  refrigerator 
  by 
  the 
  dozens 
  and 
  into 
  any 
  food 
  there 
  

   which 
  remained 
  uncovered. 
  

  

  They 
  were 
  finally 
  discovered 
  in 
  all 
  stages 
  in 
  a 
  jar 
  containing 
  

   rotting 
  vegetation 
  and 
  "frass" 
  left 
  from 
  the 
  rearing 
  of 
  cater- 
  

   pillars.* 
  An 
  examination 
  of 
  the 
  larvae 
  and 
  pupae 
  makes 
  an 
  

   interesting 
  comparison 
  with 
  the 
  same 
  stages 
  of 
  other 
  species 
  

   of 
  the 
  same 
  family. 
  Little 
  is 
  known 
  of 
  the 
  life 
  history 
  of 
  the 
  

   Psychodidae, 
  the 
  familv 
  to 
  which 
  the 
  moth-flies 
  belong. 
  They 
  

   are 
  of 
  the 
  smallest 
  of 
  the 
  Diptera. 
  They 
  are 
  called 
  moth-flies 
  

   on 
  account 
  of 
  a 
  slight 
  resemblance 
  to 
  minute 
  moths. 
  This 
  is 
  

   due 
  to 
  the 
  hairiness 
  of 
  the 
  wings, 
  which 
  have 
  a 
  fringe 
  of 
  hair 
  

   all 
  around 
  and 
  also 
  on 
  the 
  veins. 
  The 
  wings 
  at 
  rest 
  are 
  usually 
  

   held 
  over 
  the 
  back 
  in 
  a 
  roof-like 
  manner. 
  They 
  are 
  nearly 
  

   related 
  to 
  the 
  midges, 
  etc. 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  "Fauna 
  Hawaiiensis," 
  but 
  two 
  species 
  of 
  Psychodidae 
  

   are 
  recorded 
  : 
  Psychoda 
  aUernafa 
  Say, 
  and 
  Psychoda 
  inotmata 
  

   Grimshaw, 
  both 
  from 
  Kona, 
  Hawaii. 
  Our 
  species 
  is 
  the 
  

   latter 
  or 
  an 
  unrecorded 
  one. 
  

  

  Description 
  of 
  larvae 
  — 
  about 
  2.5 
  mm. 
  long; 
  blackish 
  in 
  

   color; 
  flattish, 
  head 
  narrower 
  than 
  rest 
  of 
  body; 
  an 
  elongate 
  

   respiratory 
  tube 
  at 
  posterior 
  end; 
  a 
  row 
  of 
  spiracles 
  on 
  each 
  

   side; 
  dorsal 
  segments 
  have 
  several 
  decumbent 
  hairs; 
  a 
  series 
  

   of 
  narrow 
  transverse 
  dorsal 
  plates, 
  two 
  per 
  segment. 
  Head 
  

   well 
  developed, 
  has 
  mandibles, 
  a 
  pair 
  of 
  eyes 
  wide 
  apart. 
  Min- 
  

   utely 
  pubescent. 
  

  

  * 
  Later 
  they 
  were 
  found 
  breeding 
  in 
  abundance 
  in 
  cow 
  manure, 
  which 
  

   was 
  probably 
  the 
  source 
  of 
  the 
  numerous 
  swarms 
  which 
  appeared. 
  

  

  