64 
ued attacks they transferred their attention to Timothy, and appeared 
to subsist equally well upon it. 
At the date of wheat-harvesting, fields were swarming with a species 
of lady beetle, Coccinella 9-notata, they having become excessively 
abundant by reason of the great numbers of the Grain Aphis, and 
as these disappeared the Coccinella was obliged to scatter themselves 
about and seek other food. As large numbers were found on stalks of 
growing corn infested by chinch-bugs, it seemed proper to determine 
the object of attraction to such places. The problem was in part solved 
by the fact that wherever great numbers of Chinch Bugs had punctured 
the corn plants the sap would exude from these punctured spots, and 
there the beetles would be found, singly or in groups of two or three, 
engaged in feeding upon the sap. Beetles placed under glass with a 
great number of Chinch Bugs refused to prey upon the latter, even when 
brought nearly to the point of starvation. 
While searching under the sheaths of corn on several occasions larvie 
and pupie of a Syrphus fly were found, ii many cases, right among the 
masses of young bugs. From some of these pup thus obtained we 
reared adults of Pipiza pulchella. Whether this species will ultimately 
prove to be an enemy of the Chinch Bug, it is too much to say, but the 
larvie found by me could only have fed upon bugs or exuding sap, as 
they were near the roots of the corn where no pollen iad collected. 
THE GRAIN APHIS. 
(Siphonophora avene Fab.) 
Probably no insect has appeared in the State of Indiana for many 
years which caused such a general commotion among wheat-growers, 
and which worked so little damage, considering, its numbers, as this. 
Occurring every year in greater or less numbers, and having been 
frequently sent us by farmers, we were not at all surprised to receive 
specimens from Gallatin County, Hl., on May 27, and also a few days 
later from our aged friend Dr. Richard Owen, of New Harmony, Posey 
County, Ind. Probably about May 20 can be set down as the date of 
appearance, in numbers to attract attention in the extreme southern 
part of the State, the invasion terminating in the extreme northern por- 
tion about the Ist of July. 
That the outbreak, which was probably the most severe since 1861 
and 1862, should reach the magnitude that it did, both in point of 
numbers and area infested, was a surprise to me, as the preceding 
November had been spent by myself in traveling about, visiting the 
wheat fields of various portions of the State, these insects then being 
observed in no greater numbers than was usual at that season of the 
year. The winter following was an extremely mild one, which, taken 
with the statement of Dr. Cyrus Thomas,* that the insect passes the 
winter on grain plants in the fields, might lead to a misunderstanding 
as to the actual effect of mild winters. 
* Eighth Rep. St. Ent. Il1., 1879, p. 53. 
