INSECTS FEEDING ON DECAYING FRUIT. 177 



which they burrow iu every direction and greatly increase the rapidity 

 of decay. 



The maggot is transparent wliite, with a cylindrical body, thickest at 

 the posterior end, and tapering to a sharp point at the head ; the body 

 joints are very prominently ringed. At the posterior end a pair of 

 projections form the i)rincipal breathing organs. The head ends in a 

 pair of hooked jaws, which have the raking movement common to most 

 fly larvae. The dark color of the jaws and frame-work which consti- 

 tutes their base renders them visible through the transparent walls of 

 the body. 



In pupating, the larva enters the earth a short distance, or remains 

 attached to the under side of the orange as it lies upon the ground. 

 The larva contracts and its skin hardens, forming a casket-shaped 

 puparium, about one-third as wide as long. The puparium is chest- 

 nut-brown in color; it retains the breathing-tubes of the larva, but 

 is distended and slightly altered in form by the hardening of all the 

 parts. 



The wine-fly undergoes all its transformations within two weeks. 

 This rapidity of development is evidently necessary, as the insect is 

 dependent upon the juices of the orange, not only for its subsistence in 

 the larva state, but also for the moisture necessary to sustain life in the 

 pupa. 



OTHER SPECIES. 



The two beetles and the wine-fly above mentioned sometimes become 

 annoying pests in the packing-house when piles of decaying fruit are 

 allowed to remain about the premises, but are easily banished by clear- 

 ing away the refuse, and maintaining cleanliness. In the grove, if the 

 drop])ed oranges are picked up regularly, and the ground about the 

 trees kept clean, these insects will rarely make their appearance. If, 

 through carelessness in this regard, they are allowed to become numer- 

 ous and infest the grove, thorued and split fruit, which might other- 

 wise be used for wine-making, will, owing to their attacks, be rendered 

 useless, for this and other purposes, even before it has fallen from the 

 trees. 



Other closely allied beetles and other species of flies are found to in- 

 fest injured or rotting fruit. Two only can be mentioned at present; 

 they are — 



(1.) Sinicripfi hypocoproidcs Reiter, a minute Nitidulid introduced from 

 the AVest Indies, but which has become quite abundant in i)arts of the 

 southern United States, and is found feeding upon sap and also in rot- 

 ting cotton bolls. 



(2.) Europs palUpennis Lee, a rare Monotomid beetle. 



Fruit-eating Ant. — A small dark-brown ant, a probably undescribed 

 species of Lasius, is sometiujes found gnawing the pulp of split oranges 

 upon the tree. A stream of the ants may be seen carrying bits of the 

 fruit down the trunk of the tree. 

 0521 I 12 



