64 



aed attacks they transferred their attention to Timothy, and appeared 

 to subsist equally well upon it. 



At the date of wheat harvesting, fields were swarming with a species 

 of lady beetle, Coccinella 9-notata, they having become excessively 

 abundant by reason of the great numbers of the Grain Aphis, and 

 as these disappeared the Coccinella was obliged to scatter themselves 

 about and seek other food. As large numbers were found on stalks of 

 growing corn infested by chinch-bugs, it seemed proper to determine 

 the object of attraction to such places. The problem was in part solved 

 by the fact that wherever great numbers of Chinch Bugs had punctured 

 the corn plants the sap would exude from these punctured spots, and 

 there the beetles would be found, singly or in groups of two or three, 

 engaged in feeding upon the sap. Beetles placed under glass with a 

 great number of Chinch Bugs refused to prey upon the latter, even when 

 brought nearly to the point of starvation. 



While searching under the sheaths of corn on several occasions larvae 

 and pupae of a Syrphus fly were found, in many cases, right among the 

 masses of young bugs. From some of these pupae thus obtained we 

 reared adults of Pipiza'pulchella. Whether this species will ultimately 

 prove to be an enemy of the Chinch Bug, it is too much to say, but the 

 larvae found by me could only have fed upon bugs or exuding sap, as 

 they were near the roots of the corn where no pollen had collected. 



THE GRAIN APHIS. 

 (Siphonopliora avence Fab.) 



Probably no insect has appeared in the State of Indiana for many 

 years which caused such a general commotion among wheat-growers, 

 and which worked so little damage, considering, its numbers, as this. 



Occurring every year in greater or less numbers, and having been 

 frequently sent us by farmers, we were not at all surprised to receive 

 specimens from Gallatin County, 111., on May 27, and also a few days 

 later from our aged friend Dr. Richard Owen, of New Harmony, Posey 

 County, Ind. Probably about May 20 can be set down as the date of 

 appearance, in numbers to attract attention in the extreme southern 

 part of the State, the invasion terminating in the extreme northern por- 

 tion about the 1st of July. 



That the outbreak, which was probably the most severe since 1861 

 and 1862, should reach the magnitude that it did, both in ixnnt of 

 numbers and area infested, was a surprise to me, as the preceding 

 November had been spent by myself in traveling about, visiting the 

 wheat fields of various portions of the State, these insects then being- 

 observed in no greater numbers than was usual at that season of the 

 year. The winter following was an extremely mild one, which, taken 

 with the statement of Dr. Cyrus Thomas,* that the insect passes the 

 winter on grain plants in the fields, might lead to a misunderstanding 

 as to the actual effect of mild winters. 



Eighth Rep. St. Eut. 111., 1879, p. 53. 



