the leaf weevil from subjugating or exterminating the midge, by causing 



the death of the young weevils. 



All of this conflict is going on to a greater or less degree each year in 

 the clover fields of the farmer, and for the most part without his 

 knowledge; nevertheless he is a gainer or a loser in proportion as each 

 insect increases or decreases in abundance. A knowledge of these 

 conditions will better enable him to devise practical means to protect 

 his crop and avoid loss. 



THE CLOVER-FLOWER MIDGE. 



(DaSyneura \_Cecidomyia\ leguminicola Lint.) 



This minute insect, shown in figures 2 and ■">. is a near relative of the 

 wheat midge. 1 which it re- 

 sembles in form and color. 

 The larva, or maggot, also 

 bears a similar resemblance 

 in shape and color; hence 

 farmers, in searching for the 

 clover-flower midge, should 

 look for something very like 

 what has been long, though 

 erroneously, known as the 

 " red weevil " in wheat, and 

 will frequently find it in suffi- 

 cient abundance among the 

 hulled clover seed to attract 

 their attention. In drawing 

 in clover hay these maggots 

 are frequently shaken from 

 the cured blossoms in such 

 numbers that the bottoms 

 of the wagon racks become 

 literally covered witli their 

 reddish bodies. 



Fig. 2.— The clover-flower midge Dasynnvra leguminicola I: 

 a, enlarged side view of female, with scales denuded, to 

 Show more clearly the structure: 6, head, more highly 

 magnified, to show structure of the eye. palpi, and basal 

 joints of antenna-: c, tip of ovipositor, highly magnified 

 and showing at end of next to last joint the manner in 

 which if i- clothed with minute hair: <i, highly magnified 

 antennal joints, their minute hairy clothing shown on 

 the lower one. i Prom Riley.) 



DESCRIPTION. 



The adult insect (fig. 2, female; fig. 3, male) is a minute two-winged 

 fly. The head and thorax are black, the latter clothed with rather long 

 hairs. The antenna' are long, those of the female (tig. 2) sixteen or 

 seventeen jointed and those of the male (tig. ■">) lifteen-jointed. The 

 wings are nearly transparent and clothed with numerous short, curved, 

 blackish hairs, giving them a dusky appearand', each wing having three 

 longitudinal veins, the third vein being either forked or more or less 

 obsolete toward the tip. The wings are also fringed with hairs that are 

 longer and paler than those on the surface. The abdomen of the female 



Contarinia {Diplosis) tritici Kirby 



