36 PARASITES OF THE COTTON BOLL WEEVIL. 



found, so that no doubt could be expressed as to the source of the 

 parasites. Corroboration was obtained by examining the cocoons. 



3. BruchopJiagus herrerse Ashm. Considerable doubt has been raised 

 by very eminent parasitologists as to the actual" parasitism of the 

 boll weevil by tins species and some doubt has been raised concerning 

 its generic location. No subsequent corroboration has been obtained 

 to prove parasitism of the boll weevil. 



4. Cerambycobius cyaniceps Ashm. The first published record of the 

 parasitism of the boll weevil by this species is found in Mally's Report 

 (Mally, 1902), in which that writer states that he had bred it since 

 1899 at Austin, Tex. Only four records were obtained in previous 

 years by the boll-weevil laboratory of the Bureau of Entomology; 1 

 female bred July 7 at Calvert, Tex., by G. H. Harris; 1 male and 1 

 female bred July 25 at Victoria, Tex., by W. E. Hinds, and 1 female 

 bred March 11 at Corsicana, Tex., by C. M. Walker. 



Dr. F. H. Chittenden has reared it from the larva of Tyloderma 

 foveolatum breeding in the stems of Onagra biennis, September 11, 

 from material collected at Chevy Chase, Md. He has also reared it 

 from Bruchus exiguus Horn (Chittenden, 1893b). In a personal letter 

 dated August 30, 1906, Dr. Wm. H. Ashmead said of tins species: 

 "It is not rare, has been bred from cerambycids and other beetles, 

 and I have always supposed it to be a primary parasite. All of these 

 beetles, however, have braconid parasites, and it may yet prove to 

 be a secondary parasite as other of the eupelmines are said to be." 



One female was bred by the writer October 17, 1905, as a probable 

 parasite of Lixus musculus Say, breeding in stem galls of Polygonum 

 pennsylvanicum collected September 19 at Clarendon, Tex. On Octo- 

 ber 26, 1906, a female was bred from a Lixus musculus pupa collected 

 in the same plant at Dallas, Tex., opposite the farm on which release 

 experiments were conducted. On September 11 and 12, 1906, 2 

 females were bred from Anihonomus albopilosus breeding in seed of 

 Croton engelmanni collected August 26, 1906, at Johnsons Bayou, 

 La., by J. D. Mitchell. On October 30, 1906, 1 female was bred from 

 Trichobaris texana found breeding in stalks of Solarium rostratum 

 by R. A. Cushman and the writer, along the road close to the plat 

 upon which parasites were released at Dallas. 



This parasite is very abundant in eastern Texas, diminishing to 

 the Southeast, and is entirely absent at Brownsville and through 

 western Texas. It is a continuous breeder, attacking the weevil 

 larvae and pupae, one individual for each host. The sexes are in the 

 proportion 19.7 per cent males and 80.3 per cent females. The 

 females are several times longer than the males. 



The developmental periods for Cerambycobius cyaniceps have been 

 worked out from data covering the period between July 12 and Octo- 

 ber 4. The pupal period in July is 10 days or less, in August is from 



