24 



THE AMEEICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



cessively numerous, for iu all our entomological 

 experience, we have never known it to swarm 

 in very great numbers. The obvious reason is, 

 that it is so freely attacked by a small parasitic 

 Ichneumon fl.v — belonging to a genus {Mirro- 

 giister) exceedingly numerous in species — that 

 three out of every four worms that we meet with 

 will generally be found to be thus victimized. 

 The eggs of the parasite are deposited within 

 the body of the worm, while it is yet young, and 

 the young maggots hatching from tiiem feed on 

 the fatty parts of their victim. After the last 

 moult of a worm that has been thus attacked, 

 numerous little heads may be seen gradually 

 pushing through different parts of its body ; and 

 as soon as they have worked themselves so far 

 out that they are held only by the last joint of 

 the body, they commence forming their small 

 snow-white cocoons, which stand on ends and 

 present the appearance l^'^s- ^s] 



of Figure 15. In about 

 a week the fly (Fig. 16. 



a, magnified; b, natu- 

 ral size), pushes open Color— white. 



a little lid which it had previously cut with its 

 jaws, and soars away to fulfil its mission. It 

 is one of those remarkable [i'''S- ^''■1 



and not easily explained facts, 

 which often confront the stu- 

 dent of Nature, that, while 

 one of these Hog-caterpillars 

 in its normal and healthy con- 

 dition may be starved to death 

 iu two or three days, another that is writhing 

 with its body full of parasites will live without 

 food for as many weeks. Indeed we have known 

 one to rest for three weeks without food in a 

 semi-paralyzed condition, and after the parasitic 

 flies had all escaped from tlieir cocoons, it would 

 rouse itself and make a desperate effort to regain 

 strength by nibbling at a leaf which was offered 

 to it. But all worms thus attacked >nccnnib iu 

 the end, and we cannot conclude this article to 

 better advantage thau by reminding the Grape- 

 grower, that he should let alone all such as are 

 found to be covered with the white cocoons we 

 have illustrated, and not, as has been often done, 

 destroy Ihem under the false impression that 

 the cocoons are the eggs of the worm. 



To OUK Subscribers in Canada. — Parties iu 

 Canada, who wish to subscribe for the Ameri- 

 can Entojiologist, can obtaiu it, postage free, 

 by remitting $2.00 to the Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, 

 Secretary to the Entomological Society of Can- 

 ada, Credit, C. W. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Notice.— Such of our correspondeuts as have alrpuily 

 sent, or may hereafter send, sm;dl collcctinns of insed's 

 to be named, will please to inform u< if :uiy of the 

 species sent are from other Stafr- il];iii lin ir own. 

 Lists of insects found in any ii:ii linil,!- |,i. -ility are of 

 especial interest, as throwing li^lii upf.ii tlir j;(M')graph- 

 ical (listviliiition of species, liul to make tUum of re.al 

 valiir, il i< iiNinisito that we know for certain, 

 wlicUirr ..!■ 11"! :ill ilie insects in any particular list come 

 fi-om tliiit |.:iitirnl:ir locality, and if not, from what 

 locality tliry, I, ,,(.1110. 



Striped Cucumber Beetle— J/. M. Gray, Car- 

 dington, 01i.io.—^>i quote your letter iu full, as it well 

 describes the larva about which you desire iniormation : 

 riiir. \-,^ I inclose a specimen 



of bug which we call the 

 Cucumber or Squash 

 bug, and also a small 

 worm or larva which 

 has destroyed many of 

 my melon and cucum- 

 ber vines. My object 

 in part is to learn if 

 this woi-m or larva is 

 the product of the bug 

 I or something different 

 and foreign to it. In 

 the early part of the 

 season the small striped 

 bug commenced work- 

 ing on my vines, and 

 they began to wilt and 

 die. I used sulphur 

 and plaster, quassia, 

 tobacco, etc, to pre- 

 vent or chock their rav- 

 ages, but with little ef- 

 Lui..r-.>,i,i„n. ip^.t_ Finally I hunted 



out ami killi'il a good many, and .sliortly they seemed to 

 disapiirar. aiiil my \ini~ l.ruaii to revive and grow. 

 Abmil lliiTc wrclv- lalri- ilir \ iiM'N l,(.-iin to wilt and die 

 wor^i' ilian l"l(iic: I'.iit ihi- liiiir tliiTe were no bugs to 

 be C.iiiii.l I ["iM .xaniinalion of iIk^ roots, however, I 

 di.sr.iNriv.l 11, i- liitlr ul,il,--u-onn u-ith a l>lack li.-ad, 

 (rom l-liali lo I- llh of an inrli in Irn-tli, ralin- into an.l 



inlV-t,M iIh' nio-l woit tli- >amr tlial tlirlm^. y\v\,\\ 

 upon til.' « or-t , I nmj.rUirc.l tlim- mu-t U- -omc nla- 

 tion between them. 



The larva referred to which attacks the roots, and of 

 which we present highly magnified figures (Fig, 17, 1, 

 dorsal view, 2 side view), is in reality the young of the 

 very same Striped Cucumber Beetle (Diahrotica vitiata, 

 [Fig. 18.] Fig. 19), which is so injurious to' 



the leaves; for we have ourselves 

 bred the beetle from this larva, 

 T and iu 1865 Dr. H. Shimcr. of 

 Mt. Carroll, III., first published 

 an account of its transforma- 

 -, 2 tions.* After boring into and 



Color— wiiiiisii. around the roots for upwards of 



a month, the larva; enter the surrounding earth, and 

 within a smooth oval cavity soon change to i.upa; (Fig. 

 18, 1, ventral view; 2, dorsal view), which are trans- 

 formed to beetles about two weeks after- 

 wards. There are two or three broods du- 

 ring the year. By getting rid of the beetles 

 in the early part of the season, you of 

 course prevent the injuries of the larva, 

 and the most effective agents for this pur- 

 "oml 'yellow.'''' pose, or at least those iu which we hiivethe 

 mo.st confidence, are Paris green and white hellebore. 

 This insect has been very injurious the present year. 



* Prairie Farmer, Aug. 12, 1805. 



[Fig. 10.] 



