135 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 



Notes from Missouri. 



* * * Tlie development of the Oak Chermes seems to me very anomalous. Un- 

 less the insect has entirely eluded me all development for the season stopped at the 

 point of hatching and dispersing. Since then, although I have examined the in- 

 fested trees every few days throughout the summer, there has been no change. Oc- 

 casionally a cluster of the salmon-colored larvie may be found in a dormant condi- 

 tion under the scales at the base of the new growth. I inft^r from this that the 

 larvte become active very early in the spring and pass their transformations at that 

 season when the sap flows most freely and their natural enemies are less numerous. 

 I send examples of the most conspicuous and effective of these enemies. I also put 

 in some other things in which you may be interested. 



If you could see the ruinous work of the Osage Orange Pyralid on the hedges 

 around Kirkwood this sunmier you would be better al)le to realize the baneful im- 

 portance of the insect than you can from any description of mine. 



As a rule the usual pests have not been troublesome this year, with the exception 

 of the Codling Moth. Strange to say the Colorado Potato-beetle seems to have en- 

 tirely deserted us. I have looked in vain for a few larva^ on which to test some de- 

 coctions which I fancied might prove useful insecticides, but I could not find even 

 one. Do not infer from this that the potato crop is good, for, for some climatic 

 reason, it never was poorer throughout this region. [Mary E. Murtfeldt, Missouri, 

 September 6, 1892. 



[In connection with the above. Miss Murtfeldt sent certain species for determina- 

 tion, on some of which were interesting notes, as follows :] 



Exockomus tripustulatiis. — This beautiful Coccinellid, if I am not mistaken, was 

 rare in this locality until last year. It is the most important of the foes of the Oak 

 Chermes, the larvae tearing open the scales and feeding voraciously upon the eggs 

 and young. 



Pentaria trifasciaia is au interesting little beetle, wliicli I bred from larvie living 

 upon the scales of Chermes. 



Chiloneurus albicornus and Encyrtm sj). — The most important of the Hymenopter- 

 ous parasites of the Oak Chermes. 



Tetrastichus sp. — I think this tiny fly is a "secondary" parasite. 



Hemiptycliuspunctatus. — I do not know whether this beetle bred from the scales of 

 the insect or from the twigs of the tree, but I have reason for suspecting the former. 



Trichoharis trinotata var. — I bred two specimens of this pretty curculio from the 

 woody stems of Solanum carolinense. 



Trypeta electa Say. — The larva> of this fly were in almost every fruit of Solanum 

 caroli7iense last fall, destroying a large proportion of the seed. The scarcity of the 

 weed hereabout this season may perhaps be in great measure attributed to this in- 

 sect. I had a great many in rearing jars, but was not very successful in breeding 

 them. 



Phcedrotoma sanguinea is parasitic on the above. It resembles species that I have 

 found bred from the larger Microlepidoptera, but as this was from a Dipteron it may 

 be distinct. 



Parexorista sp. ? — Especially interesting from the fact of its breeding in the Acorn 

 Carpocapsa. 



PiopliUa caaei. — I have recently bred these flies from some infested ham sent me 



