74 



with a single egg. The same day on which the latter of these two 

 adults emerged, while riding along the road, myriads of both sexes 

 were observed. They were also received from Mr. J. M. Jones, of 

 Dunkirk, Hardin County, who wrote under date of September 19, 

 stating that they had appeared about the 15th and were literally 

 swarming. He also called attention to the popular notion of their 

 originating from cut-worms. All facts taken together indicate that this 

 species is single-brooded, the eggs being deposited during late Sep- 

 tember and early October. Mr. Wise states that the larvae of these 

 Crane-flies are most abundant in low, grayish-black soil, and where the 

 ground is the wettest, and that during heavy rains they appear to work 

 nearer the surface of the ground. He also states that to his knowledge 

 they have never injured corn planted in these fields, and the present 

 season has shown no exception.* 



From the foregoing it seems that our clover fields are menaced by at 

 least three species of Crane-flies, one of which is known to be, under 

 certain conditions, exceedingly destructive to wheat, while the other 

 two may rest under grave suspicion. In a former report to this Depart- 

 ment I clearly showed the desirability of sowing wheat late in the 

 fall — the exact time depending upon the locality — as a protection against 

 the fall attack of the Hessian fly. It seems now that though sowing- 

 should be deferred, plowing, in cases where wheat is to follow clover, 

 should be done late in August, or at least before the middle of Septem- 

 ber, in order to escape injury from the larvae of Crane-flies. 



Besides the enemies of Crane-flies already given, I have observed an 

 ant, Aphcenogasterfulva, attack and drag away a living female of Pa- 

 chyrrhina, and in addition to the bird enemies given by Mr.Beesom the 

 following is a list of birds found to have preyed upon these insects in 

 Illinois (see Bull. State Lab. Nat. Hist. 111., No. 3, pp. 101-135): 



Species of bird. 



No. of 

 birds ex- 

 amined. 



"Ratio of 

 food com- 

 posed of 

 Tipulidie. 



Robin 



114 



70 

 22 

 11 

 11 



.01 

 .05 

 .12 



.08 

 .04 



Wood Thrush 



Alice Thrash 







* Since the above was written letters have been received from Mr. Wise stating 

 that the corn in the field infested by the larvre of this species did not yield half a 

 crop. The plants were thrifty until in August, when they suddenly ceased to grow, 

 with the result stated. Roots sent me show unmistakable signs of attacks by in- 

 sects, such attacks not being made until after the plants had become well rooted, 

 after which a vast number of small roots had been thrown out to replace the larger 

 ones destroyed. While, therefore, it is as yet too much to say that Tipula costalis is 

 a corn-destroying insect, there seems a prospect that future study may prove it to be 

 such.— F. M. W. 



