68 INSECT ENEMIES OF THE BOLL WEEVIL. 



ground; and Antlionomines, which dwell in buds {Anthonomus gran- 

 dis), in flowers {A. apJianostepM) , and in hard seed (A. alhopilosus) . 

 But it draws the line apparently at stem dwellers and is replaced by 

 Neocatolaccus tijlodermse on Lixus, Tyloderma, and Ampeloglypter. 

 CeramlycoMus cyaniceps is as much at home in a stem as in a bud, 

 and so also are Eurytoma tyloderraatis and Microdontomerus anihonomi. 

 The Braconid^ appear to be more particular as to food but the most 

 noted of all, Microhracon meUitor, has no preferences between stem 

 dwellers and bud dwellers. 



Thirteen miles southeast of Yazoo City, ]\Iiss., on November 1, 1909, 

 the senior author found an isolated artificial focus of infestation by 

 the boll weevil over 30 miles from any infestation of the same age 

 and 20 miles beyond the regularly infested region. Out of 8 squares 

 picked, containing 5 stages, 1 parastized stage was found. 



11. BEETLES WHICH PREY L^ON THE BOLL WEEVIL. 



The attack of the insects predator}^ on the adult boll weevil is purely 

 accidental. They may be very numerous, but the only ones recorded 

 and verified are Evarthrus sodalis Le Conte and another species of the 

 same genus. There are, however, several insects which have an actual 

 value through their established habit of either breeding in the square 

 upon the boll-weevil stages or of entering the square and consuming 

 the weevil. We shall refer to four of them. 



Hydnocera paUipennis Say. A single beetle of this species was 

 reared April 6, 1907, after 183 days in its cocoon, and over 214 days 

 isolation in the rearing tube. It was collected in a boll- weevil ceU at 

 Waco, Tex., August 28, 1906. The cocoon is very finely threaded, 

 loosely woven, and only single layered. The stage of the beetle can 

 easily be observed at any time. 



Hydnocera puhescens Le Conte. This clerid is a very common 

 breeder in the weevil ceUs. Its larvae have been found not only 

 feeding upon the various weevil stages but have been taken frequently 

 from Mcrobracon cocoons which they have entered at a much 

 younger stage. 



Cathartus gemeUatus Duval. This cucujid beetle is both a predator 

 and a scavenger, its larvae being frequently found, however, feeding 

 upon boll-weevil stages which they must have killed. 



CJiauliognathus spp. The larvae of these lampyrid beetles are very 

 common in the squares and bolls of cotton in Louisiana and Missis- 

 sippi. In one instance undoubted proof of the attack of such a larva 

 upon one boll-weevil larva was recorded. Many other very sus- 

 picious observations were made but no definite proofs found. 



