FOUNDLINGS AMONGST FRUIT 453 



APPLE SEED CHALCID 



And last of the types of smuggled goods transported by 

 the apple, is one that, concealed in the secret of secrets, is 

 almost certain to elude the watchfulness of man. For the 

 larva of the Apple Seed Chalcid Fly (Syntomaspis druparuni) 

 is hidden within an apple seed. This little four-winged 

 Chalcid, somewhat wasp-like in shape, bright green in colour 

 with coppery or bronzy metallic reflections and brownish 

 yellow legs, is only about three-tenths of an inch long, yet 

 it has contrived to give its offspring an excellent start on a 

 traveller's career. In July, where they are plentiful, the adult 

 Apple Seed Chalcids may be seen flitting with a rapid zigzag 

 course in the orchards. Here and there a female stops upon 

 an apple, at this time grown to half an inch or an inch in 

 diameter, pierces the skin with a slender ovipositor as long 

 as its own body, pushes this delicate weapon home until its 

 tip has penetrated a seed, and finally deposits one or more 

 eggs in the seed's soft interior. The eggs hatch and the 

 larvae begin their existence with a battle for life or death, 

 for the six or seven which sometimes hatch in one seed are 

 reduced to one by the old expedient of cannibalism. The 

 grub having consumed all the store of food contained in the 

 seed becomes full fed and moribund, and in this condition 

 spends one, two or three winters in the apple seed, till the 

 warmth of May restarts life activity, pupation takes place 

 and the adult emerges in late June or early July. 



The opportunities for unwitting transport furnished by 

 this habit of life are obvious, and these have been taken full 

 advantage of. The Apple Seed Chalcid is undoubtedly a 

 European species. It was observed in Switzerland so early 

 as 1803, in France about 1865, and in 1885 or 1886 the 

 failure to germinate of forty pounds of apple seed which 

 had been planted in Hungary, led to the discovery that the 

 kernels had been devoured through its ravages. Its name 

 occurs also on the list of British Chalcids. 



The Apple Seed Chalcid was not noticed in the United 

 States till 1906, but there can be little doubt that it had long 

 existed unobserved in that country, for after attention had 

 been drawn to its presence, it was found to be widely spread 

 throughout the eastern and northern states. At what period 



