al 
nation of certain species in different localities. For instance, the syr- 
phus-fly larve were most numerous in the southern part and eastern 
Shore of the State, while the lady beetles abounded in central, northern, 
and western Maryland. 
The real importance of the syrphus-fly larvee in the reduction of the 
species was shown beautifully in southern Maryland, where they were 
so abundant the first and second weeks in June as to almost completely 
destroy the lice. Their presence, however, did not save the crop of peas 
this season, but what their almost innumerable numbers means for the 
future is hard to predict, and furnishes a subject for future thought 
and investigation. I am now going to quote a paragraph bearing on 
this topic from a letter from Mr. Pearson, dated June 12, which reads 
like a fairy tale, but is nevertheless an undisputed fact, coming as it 
_does from a man of undoubted veracity. He says: 
The insects (lice) started to disappear last week, and are now about all gone, but 
too late to be of any advantage to me this season, The last few days I packed the 
separators sieved out about 25 bushels of green worms, which no doubt proves that 
they destroyed the lice. 
The “green worms” referred tu were the larvee of syrphus flies. In 
this connection I might state that I have bred three species of syrphus 
flies from larve found feeding upon the pea louse, all of which were 
kindly determined for me by Mr. D. W. Coquillett as follows: Allo- 
grapta obliqua Say, Syrphus americanus Weid., and Spherophoria 
cylindrica Say. | 
The first mentioned, Allograpta obliqua, which we have termed the 
oblique syrphus, was by far the most common and important species. 
The greater bulk of the 25 bushels mentioned by Mr. Pearson consisted 
of this species. It was common all over Maryland, and was bred by 
me also from larve feeding on lice from Virginia and Connecticut. The 
larva is pea-green in general color, slightly streaked with white, vary- 
ing in length from a quarter of an inch to a third of an inch when full 
grown. It pupates upon the leaves or stems of the peas, or upon some 
other object near by, rarely going to the ground. We have found them 
upon corn leaves near infested pea fields. 
The next species, Syrphus americanus, or the American syrphus, was 
usually found associated with the preceding species, but not very 
abundant. The larva is larger than that of obliqua, brownish in color, 
somewhat mottled, and larger. It also pupates upon the plant or even 
below the surface of the ground. The adult is also much larger than 
obliqua, and can be distinguished from that species, even when on wing, 
by its bee-like hum. 
The remaining species, Spherophoria cylindrica, or the cylindrical 
syrphus, was not common, but was found in two localities associated 
with the others, and is much smaller than either. 
Of the lady beetles four species were observed feeding upon the lice 
in the fields, the most important of which was Coccinella 9-notata, 
7277—No. 20 
7 
. 
