10 THE FLORIDA FERN CATERPILLAR. 



from Onarija, 111., in 1907, and later from Chicago. Incidentally he 

 mentioned that Mr. A. H. Rosenfeld believed that the same species 

 occurred on ferns in Lonisiana. In the twenty-seventh report of 

 the State entomologist of Illinois, dated 1912 and received by the 

 writer March 10, 1913, after the present bulletin had left his hands, an 

 article appears on this subject by Mr. Davis, who is now in the em- 

 ploy of this bureau. He mentions injury to ferns near Chicago, 111., 

 gives notes on life history, and adds descriptions of all forms, with 

 illustrations of larva, pupa, moth, and sexes. In remarks on remedies 

 he states what we hav^ already learned, that arsenicals can not be 

 applied to ferns in sufficient strength to kill this so-called cutworm, 

 because they are apt to adhere to the surface in such a way as to make 

 it difficult to handle the plants. Poisoned baits are also mentioned, 

 together with pyrethrum and nicotine preparations. 



July 21, 1911, Dr. Thaddeus McLaughlin, Springfield, Ohio, fur- 

 nished specimens of this species, stating that it had destroyed some 

 fine ferns. 



What appears to be the first record of the food habit of this species 

 was made in the Yearbook of the Department of Agriculture for 

 1908 (p. 578) and reads as follows: 



The Florida fern caterpillar {CaUopistria floridensis Gueu.) has been injuri- 

 Diis in local greenhouses, one florist reporting damage to his ferns to the extent 

 of $4,000. 



NATUBAL ENEMIES. 



Iclinewmon extrematis Cress. — This ichneumon fly, which is of 

 moderate size, black, lightly marked with white, was reared from a 

 pupa of the Florida fern caterpillar from Anacostia, D. C, Septem- 

 ber 26, 1907. It was seen in the act of issuing from a number of 

 pupal cases, showing a characteristic exit hole. This parasite and 

 two other species were seen flying about the infested greenhouses. 



Sargaritis sp. — This small ichneumonid parasite (Chttn. No. 

 2117°*^) was reared from Eriop}ts foridensls from Anacostia, D. C., 

 September 30, 1907. 



A tachinid fl}^ attacks this species, a single specimen, unidentified, 



having issued from the cocoon of its host August 22, 1907, at Orlando. 



Fla. 



METHODS OF CONTROL. 



Many remedies were tried by the growers at Anacostia, some of 

 which were suggested by the writer and others by difl"erent persons 

 in the city of Washington. Naturally some of these, which were not 

 advised by entomologists, did not ])rodnce the desired effect. 



TIellehore. — Septem1)er 20, 1907, one grower sprayed his entire crop 

 with a strong decoction of hellebore. This was successful in driving 

 away the larA'fc but it scalded the foliage of the ferns so badly that 

 many of the plants died. He was advised to use arsenate of lead. 



