October, 1929] WHITE PINE WEEML 29 



Predators 



DIPTERA 



Lonchcea corticis Taylor (1929), formerly considered as L. rufitar- 

 sis Macq.; L. polita Say: and L. laticornis Meig., is the most im- 

 portant predator and also the most important single factor of con- 

 trol in New Hampshire. L. corticis is responsible for about 50 per 

 cent reduction in the number of larvae. It also attacks pupse and, 

 to a le.ss extent, adults. Emergence records extend from May 27 to 

 July 2, 1928. The fly, shortly after emerging, lays her elongate eggs 

 in small masses in the bark of an infested leader. After hatching 

 the larvae remain close together and are found in the larval tunnels 

 made by the weevil. L. corticis is capable of devouring a larva in 

 short order. The larvae hibernate together in the pupal cells and 

 pupate within the leader in the spring. This predator would be 

 much more effective were it not for a Chalcid, Pleurotropis sp., a 

 secondary parasite found in large numbers. 



COLEOPTERA 



Several predaceous clerid beetles are known to attack the weevil. 

 During this study thej^ have been repeatedly observed on white 

 pine. Graham (1926) records Elasynoserm terminatus, Say. 



Parasites (Parasitoids) 



CHALCIDOIDEA 



Eurytoma pissodis Gir. is considered an important ectoparasite 

 of the weevil. Graham (1926) reports 50 per cent parasitism by 

 this insect in New York. In New Hampshire the parasitism seems 

 much less, for emergence i-ecords show a total of only 9 males 

 emerging from 37 leaders compared with 221 male and 187 female 

 Lonchcea from the same material. Twenty-three leaders from 

 Concord contained 11 males and 14 females, compared with 33 

 male and 10 female Lonchcea. The adults emerge during the first 

 half of July. One specimen pupating June 13 emerged July 12. 

 The eggs are deposited in infested leaders. Usually only a single 

 larva is found. After feeding on the larval, pupal, or possibly the 

 adult stage of the weevil, they pass the winter as larvae in pupal 

 cells. 



Four specimens of Rhopalicus suspensus Ratz. were taken the 

 middle of June, 1927, from a cage containing infested leaders. One 

 R. pulchripennis, Crawford, was collected in W. Swanzey on Sep- 

 tember 3, 1926. It pupated June 13, 1927, and emerged June 27. 



One specimen of Coelopisthia sub orbicularis Prov. was taken from 

 a cage the latter part of May, 1927. 



Pleurotropis n. sp., previously mentioned as a secondary parasite, 

 may emerge from June 1 to the middle of July. Thirty and 43 

 emerged, respectively, from 37 Durham and 23 Concord leaders 

 infested in 1927. 



