NEW MEXICO RANGE CATERPILLAR AND ITS CONTROL. 9 



INTRODUCED NATURAL ENEMIES. 



Natural insect enemies, similar to those mentioned above, have 

 been introduced into New Mexico from Massachusetts, Indiana, Kan- 

 sas, Missouri, and California in an attempt to aid the native natural 

 enemies already present. Some of these have established themselves 

 in New Mexico and are at work helping to destroy the range cater- 

 pillar. None of these introduced insects, under any possible circum- 

 stances, could become injurious to crops. 



Among the most important of these insects which have established 

 themselves in New Mexico are three kinds of large ground beetles 

 introduced from Massachusetts. One of these is illustrated in figure 

 12. Although only the above-mentioned insect enemies are known 



Pig. 10.— Tachina mella, a fly which is parasitic on the range caterpillar: Adult. Enlarged. (C. N. 



Ainslie.) 



to be at work, additional natural enemies have been introduced to 

 work upon the range caterpillar, and it is expected that they will 

 soon make their presence felt. 



A WILT OR ROT DISEASE. 



A "wilt" or rot disease in favorable seasons kills many range cater- 

 pillars during the late summer. This happens at rare intervals dur- 

 ing unusually wet weather, but owing to the semiarid conditions of 

 this region the disease can not be depended upon to hold the range 

 caterpillar in check. 



DESTRUCTION BY HAIL. 



Hailstorms often kill many full-grown caterpillars during August 

 and September. 



