INSEcTs AND OTHER ANIMAL Pests I[NsuRIoUS TO FIELD BEANS 951 
these locust eggs were destroyed in this way. Later, Jack (1886) found the 
maggots destroying field beans in Canada. At intervals since that time 
the pest has suddenly appeared, destroying bean seedlings and injuring 
many other crops both in the United States and in Canada. 
During the last few years H. cilicrwra has once more become active in the 
New York bean fields, after a period of scarcity covering many years. 
Since 1914 moist weather conditions have tended to augment the normal 
number of flies. The injuries caused by the maggots of this species reached 
a maximum in 1917, but since that time there has been a gradual decrease 
in the amount of damage, and in 1919 and 1920 the loss due to the insect 
was hardly noticeable. 
DISTRIBUTION 
The seed-corn maggot has been found in many parts of the United States 
and Canada. It has been reported from nearly every State, from Maine 
to Florida and westward to the Pacific. In Europe, reports of its presence 
in Austria, Germany, Italy, England, and France may be found. It has 
been reported also from Hawai. 
Chittenden (1916) states that the species cilicrura causes much of the 
loss in the States south of New Jersey which is credited to the cabbage 
maggot, Hylemyia (Phorbia) brassicae Bousché, and to the onion maggot, 
Hylemyza antiqua Meigen (Phorbia ceparum Meade). Chittenden believes 
also (1909) that some of the work on the Pacific Coast attributed to 
Hylemyia planipalpis Stein may be due to H. cilicrura. 
FOOD PLANTS 
Hylemyva cilicrura has a wide range of food plants, according to Ch tten- 
den (1902) and other writers. Among the commoner of these may be 
mentioned beans, peas, lettuce, corn, cabbage, cauliflower, beets, turnips, 
radishes, seed potatoes, sweet potatoes, domestic garlic, crimson clover, 
onions, and hedge mustard. Whelan (1916) reports the maggot as breed- 
ing in fresh manure, in clover and alfalfa sod, and in rotting clover stems. 
Tucker (1917) reports cilicrura injury on tomatoes and cauliflower, and 
says that the larvae were found developing in decomposed cotton seed. 
Garman (1904) found the insect in young hemp plants. Pettit (1910) 
mentions pumpkin, cotton, orange, artichoke, and strawberry as hosts. 
as bred czlicrura from maggots in the “bulbs” of wheat. Howard 
(1900) states that the fly has been bred from human excrement. Riley 
(1878) found the maggots feeding on locust eggs. 
The attraction of the insect for decaying matter has been recognized 
by many writers. Chittenden (1902) cites, as an example of this, the 
finding of the larvae in tineid galls on poplar trees. Quaintance and 
Jenne (1912) found the flies appearing in cages where decaying plums 
3 As stated in a general discussion reported in the Journal of: Economic Entomology, vol. 9, p, 133, 1916, 
