90 SOME INSECTS INJURIOUS TO TRUCK CROPS. 
MAGGOTS AFFECTING YAMS IN THE SOUTH. 
Comparatively little attention has been paid to the insect enemies 
of sweet potato and yams in America. An exception is the sweet- 
potato borer or weevil (Cylas formicarius Fab.) which has been ably 
treated by Mr. A. F. Conradi in a recent publication ¢ of the Texas 
Agricultural Experiment Station. Short accounts of other species, 
including the tortoise beetles, have been prepared by Riley, Sander- 
son, and others. The species which will be mentioned in the present 
article are apparently new as sweet potato pests. 
March 11, 1908, Mr. P. J. Wester sent from Nassau, British West 
Indies, a yam, Dioscorea alata, badly affected with maggots. When 
received, owing to the long journey, leading to the destruction of 
many specimens, comparatively few larvee remained. An examina- 
tion showed that these were of three species, all pale yellow at the 
time of receipt. Some pup were also present. The specimens 
reared were identified by Mr. D. W. Coquillett and are as follows: 
Lonchxa longicornis Will.—The flies of this species issued from 
March 13 to April 10. This is an ortalid and bears some resemblance 
to the better known ZL. polita Say. The head is dark brown, the 
thorax dark blue, and the wings are only slightly iridescent. In 
polita the head is a lighter brown, the thorax more distinctly blue, 
and the wings more strongly iridescent. 
Euxesta nitidiventris Loew.—The adults issued from March 31 to 
April 8. This species is of about the same size as the preceding and 
resembles our commoner F. notata Wied. Superficially it differs by 
being duller colored, the thorax being feebly metallic blue and the 
wings not so strongly marked with black on the margin. This 
species has been reared from the ears of sweet corn at Brownsville, 
Tex., by Messrs. D. K. McMillan and H. O. Marsh in December, 1908, 
and in January, 1909. The pup were noticed in abundance in 
husks and silk. In one case the larve and pupx were taken in 
moderate numbers in decaying immature corn ears which had been 
injured by the well-known bollworm or corn ear-worm. 
Euaesta thomex Loew.—The adult of this species issued April 2. 
It is of about the same size or a little larger than the preceding, but 
marked much like Chetopsis xnea Wied. This species was also 
reared from the ears of injured corn collected by Messrs. McMillan 
and Marsh at Brownsville, Tex., December 29, 1908, adults issuing 
en route January 4 and later. Puparia were found in abundance in 
the husks and silk. It was associated with the smaller Ch. «nea. 
From what we know of related species the probabilities are that 
these three flies live in their larval or maggot stage chiefly on decom- 
posing vegetation but they are all three capable of injuring growing 
a Bul. 93, Texas Agr. Exp. Sta., pp. 1-16, 1907. 
