101 



at Washington, and I was pleased to find the same condition of affairs 

 here at Itbaca. The caaes of these carnivorous larva) were very nuiner- 

 ons, as was to be expected from the abundance of food. The nets dif- 

 fered from those found at Washington and the species is probably 

 different. 



A LADY-BIRD PARASITE. 



By C. V. PtiLEY. 



Up to the present time no parasites of adult Cocciuellidfe have been 

 recorded in this country, although Homalotylus obscurus Howard has 

 been reared from the larvse of the Convergent Lady bird {Hippodaniia 

 convergens) in Florida by Mr. H. G. Hubbard.* European entomolo- 

 gists, however, have recorded several observations of this character, 

 and we have long known of the occnrrence of at least one parasite in 

 the United States (the species here treated) having habits similar to 

 those described by Westwood, Ratzeburg, and others. 



In 1879, at North Bend, Ohio, while ^ 



visiting our esteemed friend, the late 

 Dr. John A. Warder, we found one speci- 

 men of the Spotted Ladybird (Megilla 

 maculata), stationed almost motionless, 

 though still alive, over a tough brown "^ .^ 



silken cocoon in the position shown at fig. 14.— meghxa maculata. Beetle and 



171 • 14 -r-r-r ■, -, • 1 „ • HI- cocooii of parasite, enlarged (original). 



Fig. 14. We had previously, in Mis- ^ 



souri, found the same Cocciuellid dead and fastened in a similar manner 

 over an empty cocoon, but looking so natural that until dissected and 

 found to be gutted, it was dififlcult to realize that it had been para- 

 sitized. No flies were obtained from the specimens. 



In July, 1883, according to our notes, Mr. Howard observed the same 

 thing at Sheldrake, N. Y., but made the mistake of attempting to ob- 

 serve it from day to day in the field without disturbing it, and one day 

 the leaf of corn to which the specimen was attached was missing. In 

 1884 a number of similar specimens were found at Washington by Mr. 

 Pergande, and at Oxford, Ind., by Mr. Webster, and these were care- 

 fully studied and a number of the adult parasites reared. 



The cocoons and the parasitized beetles were found upon a number 

 of different plants, but usually upon cereals. The beetles in all these 

 'later cases were at first alive, and several of them lived for twelve days 

 after they were found. All were unable to leave the cocoons, and when 

 forcibly detached were unable to walk, rolling over upon their backs 

 on making the attempt. The closest examination of the beetles found 

 attached to the cocoons failed to show any exit-hole by which the 



* See Bull. 5, Division of Entomology, p. 22, and Insects affecting the Orange, Hub- 

 bard, p. 70. 



