246 



a transverse shade and the abdominal joints a dusky transverse band, 

 shorter and more conspicuous anally. Patches of long, stout bristles 

 occur on the dusky parts of joints 4, 5, 6, 7 more particularly, and of 

 shorter bristles on the sternum.* 



SOME NEW PARASITES OF THE GRAIN PLANT-LOUSE. 

 By L. O. HowAKD. 



Among the numerous parasites of the Grain Plant-louse reared the 

 past summer and referred to in Insect Life, Vol. II, page 31, are the 

 three following new species. As they belong to groups which I have 

 studied I present the following descriptions at Professor Riley's desire •' 



There has been considerable doubt concerning the true habits of the 

 species of Pachyneuron. It has, beyond question, been bred from 

 Syrphid larvae in the Division of Entomology and by Mr. Hubbard, in 

 Florida. Professor Cook considered a species reared by him as a Bark- 

 louse parasite, but with the evidence before us at that time I surmised 

 that it might have come from unnoticed Syrphid larvte. In the same 

 way I was first inclined to discredit Mr. Ashmead's reported rearing of 

 this genus from Aphidids, but Mr. Ashmead tells me that he is quite 

 positive that it does actually feed in plant-lice and the facts concerned 

 in the rearing of the present species seem to indorse his opinion. Our 

 first specimens were reared July 12, 1889, from grain-lice sent from 

 Goshen, Ind., by Mr. Webster and we subsequently reared a rather 

 large series (20 specimens mounted) from lice from diflereut localities 

 in the same State. While it was not observed to actually issue from 

 the lice there seems little chance that Syrphids could have been present 

 in the small mass in such numbers to have harbored such large quanti- 

 ties of the parasites. 



The genus Megaspihis has been 



rarely reared in this country. A 

 species has been reared from 

 the Hop Plant-louse in the 

 Division of Entomology and a 

 rather large series from the 

 Grain-louse. I am not familiar 

 with any references to its habits 

 in Europe. The subfamily to 

 which it belongs contains other 

 genera of plant-louse parasites, 

 viz., Ceraphron and Lygocerus. 

 Pachyneuron micans, n. sp. 



Female. — Length, 1.28™""; expanse, 2.1"""; greatest width of forewing, 0.46™"". 

 Antennae short ; funicle as long as width of head ; first fanicle joint succeeding ring- 

 joints as broad as long, not compressed ; succeeding joints increasing gradually in 



* Since this was written, I have ascertained that the spiracles are extremely minute 

 and placed laterally on the posterior border of the joints. The two spots on penulti- 

 mate joint bordered by short spines correspond to the bases of the cerci. 



Fig. 51— Pachyneuron micans, female — enlarged 

 (original). 



