188 



PSYCHE. 



[April 1S89. 



genus were reared. A number of the in diameter and is supported by the bud 

 parasite, Ormyrus mitmhcs., were also scales of ^. bicolor and ^. tnacro- 

 reared. 



Neuroterns vesiciila Bass. When 

 the larva of this species is full grown 

 the gall is a thin shell, globular in form, 

 almost black in color, covered with 

 light spots, does not exceed three mm. 



car pa. Galls taken April 29 gave flies 

 May 3. 



Neither guests nor parasite were 

 reared. 



( To be continued.) 



NOTES ON THE PARASITE OF THE SPOTTED LADY-BEETLE 

 {ME GIL LA MACULATA).^ 



BY CLARENCE MOOKES WEED AND CHARLES A. HART. 



Our attention was first called to this 

 subject during the summer of 18S4 when 

 dead examples of the common spotted 

 lady-beetle {Megilla inaciilata) were 

 found by Mr. Hart on various plants, 

 each having beneath or beside it a com- 

 pact brown cocoon, about 4 mm. long 

 by 2 mm. wide. The matter was not 

 especially studied at that time, and no 

 further attention was paid to it until 17 

 Jvdy 1885, when several examples of 

 the same kind were found in a corn- 

 field. The lady-beetles were in two 

 cases dead, while in three or four others 



'The present paper is mainly an abridgement of a 

 more elaborate one prepared for the Cleveland (iSSS) 

 meeting of the Entomological club of the American 

 association for the advancement of science (the title 

 of which was sent to the secretary) but as I was unable 

 to reach Cleveland before the club adjourned it was 

 not read. Since the meeting, however, an article cover- 

 ing the main grounds of our paper has been published 

 in Insect life (Oct. i8S8, v. i, p. 101-104) by Dr. Riley, 

 but it has been thought worth while to present these 

 additional observations upon tiie presence and habits of 

 the parasite and its host in Illinois, where all the obser- 

 vations here recorded were made, as a part of the work 

 of the Illinois State laboratory of natur.il history. 



C:M. W. 



they were alive and embracing the co- 

 coon with their legs. One of the 

 cocoons attached to a dead beetle had a 

 cap removed from one end, the parasite 

 having doubtless escaped through the 

 opening thus made. The other cocoons 

 were placed in a breedii.g cage, and the 

 images were bred from them. 



A living specimen of the same lady- 

 beetle was again found 5 August 1S85 

 on corn, at the base of a leaf, with a co- 

 coon of its parasite entangled in its legs. 

 It was retained alive for examination 

 and acted much as a spider does about 

 its egg-sack. When found, its hind 

 claws were caught in the loose silk of 

 the cocoon, but when the cocoon was 

 removed the lady-beetle seemed greatly 

 disturbed, and would fold its legs about 

 anything within reach. It walked hold- 

 ing its body high in the air, and when it 

 came in the vicinity of the cocoon, its 

 claws would become entangled so that it 

 dragged the cocoon along after it. When 

 placed upon its back it waved its feet 



