26 CHALCID PARASITES. 



laboratory experiments the wasp would indiscriminately 

 lay eggs in fly pupae of any species (presumably muscoid) 

 apparently showing no particular preference. 



(3) C holds calliphorcB Froggatt. 



This chalcid was described from the Hay district of 

 Kew South Wales by Froggatt (1916, p. 506), as a black 

 wasp about the size of a house fly, with reddish-j^ellow 

 antennae, oval shining red-brown abdomen and with 

 thickened hind legs. It is a hardy species which breeds 

 readily in captivity, a single insect killing and emerging 

 from each parasitised pupa. The insect attacks the blow- 

 fly {Calliphora oceanice) while the latter is in the active 

 maggot stage and apparently does not prevent its pupation. 

 (See also Froggatt and Froggatt, 1917, pp. 29-31). 



(4) Dirrhinvs sarcojihagce Froggatt. 



This rather large chalcid (6 mm. long) which is about 

 the size of a large house fly, has been recently described 

 by Froggatt (1919) as parasitising the pupae of the '" common 

 flesh fly" {Sarcophaga aurifrons). It has highly modified 

 hind limbs which are used to enable the wasp to burrow into 

 the loose soil to reach the pupae lying an inch or more l)elow 

 the surface. 



A species D. biffardi Silvestri has been used in Hawaii 

 against the fruit fly. 



(5) Pachycrepoideus dubius Girault and Sanders. 

 This chalcid parasite belonging to the Pteromalidae 

 was recorded by Girault (1913, p. 330) as having been 

 caught on windows at Nelson (March and April, 1912), 

 Cooktown (February 1912) and Herberton (December, 1911), 

 North Queensland. It was originally described as a house 

 fly parasite in U.S.A. No doubt it attacks and destroys 

 various flies in Queensland. 



Remarks on certain other hymenopterous parasites capable of 

 confrolUrt^j the spread, of flies, and which might be utilised 

 in Australia against ''sheep maggot flics." 

 Graham-Smith in two excellent papei's containing his 

 obserA'ations on the habits and parasites of common flies 

 in England (1916, 1919), has published interesting inform- 

 ation regarding the hymenopterous parasites which attack 



