242 : THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
“* A couple of months have now passed, during which I have succeeded 
in getting hold of pupz from a pseudobulb which was allowed to develop, - 
and from these pupz have been developed four flies, one of which I here- 
with send. This insect has been photographed through a microscopic lens, 
enlarging it ro diameters, and I send you this photo, which also shows the 
same insect slightly under natural size. The wings, you will see, are 
transparent and colourless, the body is coal-black, apparently hard, with a 
dull surface, and measures about a ‘seventh of an inch in length. “Only one 
out of about 20 infected growths has developed a well-formed pseudobulb 
with sheath, but this bulb has only one hole in it, while the majority of the 
young shoots have contained 5 to 7 larve, and in four instances 7 holes 
were counted on the surface of each bulb. I send photographs of two such 
deformed bulbs. I find that one is not always sure of catching the larve, 
even when the shoot is only one inch long, as in two instances I have found 
a hole in a new growth only an inch long, a cavity inside, and the insect 
gone. This insect does not leave Lelias in peace, as one of the two new 
growths just mentioned was on a white Lelia anceps. , 
“‘T have watched carefully for the fly at different times of the day, but 
have never seen it about the plants. Isolation of infected plants, removal 
of new growths, keeping the plants very moist, and fumigation with 
Nicotine Extract, seem to have exterminated the fly, without the aid of as — 
low a temperature as the plants will endure, which factor it is impossible to 
make use of here at this time of the year. I am told, however, by the. 
importer from whom I purchased the plants, that while tobacco smoke will 
kill the developed fly absolutely, a low temperature and a great deal ‘bf. 
moisture will destroy the larve and pupe inside of the growths, and that 
_very little is accomplished by cutting off shoots. It has also been observed 
that when the infected new growths are entirely covered up with chopped 
moss, the larvee or pupz within have died—probably from suffocation. 
‘That the insect in my plants came from Brazil is absolutely certain, and 
it apparently came with plants imported during the warm season, which 
might indicate that, when imported late in the fall or early in the spring, 
the pest is killed in transit.” 
ANDREW W. HOISHOLT. 
Stockton, California. 
[The insect sent is identical with examples received from nopeapcade iil 
in England, and it seems liable to be re-introduced with every fresh 
importation from Brazil, though, fortunately, in most cases it has been 
found possible to stamp it out when due precautions have been taken. 
Newly imported plants should be carefully examined for any traces of the | 
insect.—Ep.] 
