REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1918 39 
was dealing with was identical with Cecidomyia tritici 
of Europe, a species regarded as being more abundant than C. 
mosellana. Later this Moselle midge was described by Wagner 
as Diplosis aurantiaca and was briefly noticed by 
Kaltenbach as Cecidomyia aurantiaca. It has been 
referred by Kieffer and Kertesz to the genus Clinodiplosis and was 
briefiy noticed by Noble as Itonida tritici, this last in the 
belief that he was discussing the European Contarinia tri- 
tici Kirby. Kieffer in 1913, designated the Moselle midge as the 
type of a new genus, Sitodiplosis, separating it from Thecodiplosis 
on characters which in our estimation hardly justify the erection of 
a new genus and for the present at least we prefer to leave this wheat 
midge in the genus Thecodiplosis. 
Life history and habits. The yellowish maggots of the wheat midge 
pass the winter in the soil or in the chaff, transforming to pupae in the 
spring, the delicate yellowish flies appearing early in June, particularly 
during a hot, sultry period. Doctor Fitch states that the appearance 
of the flies coincides with the first hoeing of Indian corn and the fading 
of the white fiowers of honey locust. He estimates the duration of 
adult existence at about 3 weeks and states that they usually dis- 
appear toward the middle or last of July. This protracted flight 
explains in part the very uniform infestation of large fields. The 
presence of the maggot in almost equal abundance in early and late 
sown wheat is also made clear by this extended period of adult 
life. 
The eggs, according to observations by Doctor Fitch, are deposited 
in winter wheat when it is a little more than knee high and as the 
heads are just protruding from their sheaths. Two to four or more 
maggots may be found around each developing grain. We obtained 
73 from one head. ‘This latter is exceptional under present condi- 
tions though nearly a handful was the record for earlier days. Doctor 
Fitch states that the fly is active and perfectly at home in a humid 
atmosphere and that as a consequence the midge is unable to remain 
about wheat heads during the day time in ordinary weather. Fur- 
thermore, wheat upon lowlands and along river flats is always more 
injured than that upon dry uplands. In addition the delicate mag- 
gots, like the flies themselves, must have a certain amount of moisture 
or they will not thrive; consequently a severe infestation, even if 
there be an abundance of midges, is impossible if the weather is dry 
at the time the heads begin to appear and if a change from a period 
of considerable moisture to one of relatively low humidity occurs 
shortly after the eggs are laid, the chances are decidedly against 
