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REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL BRANCH FOR THE 



SEASON OF 1883. 



To the Council of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club. 



The depth of snow by which the ground was covered during the 

 winter of 1882-3 was in a very high degree favourable to the preservation 

 of insect life, by protecting hybernating larvfe and pupte from sudden 

 alternations of temperature, and from the attacks of birds, mice and 

 other animals. In consequence the depredations of insects became 

 noticeable almost simultaneously with the development of vegetation. 

 Foliage, in many instances, was devoured in the bud, or immecUately 

 after expansion by the naraerous larvae which had safely hybernated. 

 An even greater snowfall during the pi'esent winter will be conducive 

 to an abundance of insects in the coming spring, and from having been 

 pi'otected for two successive winters, it is highly probable that many 

 injurious species will prove decidedly troublesome during the coming 

 season. 



Although specimens of hybernating butterflies such as V. antiopa 

 and V. milberti were seen as early as the 13th and 15th April, with 

 some coleoptera, diptera and a few hyrnenoptera, the weather during 

 that month was cold, and the snow disappeared slowly, there being a 

 fall of about two inches as late as the 27th. It was only on the 

 entrance of May that it became warm and favourable to the appearance 

 of the main body of the insect army. 



Hymenoptera. Observations were continued last summer on the 

 family Uroceridfe, and one species not previously recorded as abundant 

 or injurious was found in considerable numbers in and about the city. 

 The species is known as the white-horned Xiphydria {X. alhicoruiSy 

 Harris), and the females may be observed from 15th June to end of 

 July depositing their eggs in the bark of maple trees. A paper on 

 this insect will be found in the Report of the Entomological Society 

 of Ontario for 1883. The minute parasite Pferowa^iiS vanessce which 

 was mentioned in last year's report as so frequently infesting the pupte 

 of V. antiopa was not nearly so abundant last summer, and a large 

 proportion of chrysalids were free from them. Two broods of 19 and 

 11 were noticed, of which all the members passed successfully to the 



