234 



which preys on the Striped Squash-beetle (Diabrotica vittata Fabr.). 

 In the Annates de la Societe Entomologique de France for the month of 

 June, 1888, Mr. M. H. Lucas gives an account of the parasitism of the 

 Tachinid, Myobia pumila Macq., on the Asparagus Beetle (Crioceris 

 asparagi Linn.), and on page 408 of his well-known Guide to the Study of 

 Insects Dr. Packard quotes the French entomologist, Dufour, as author- 

 ity for the statement that the Tachinids, Cassidomyia and Hyalomyia, 

 prey respectively on the Tortoise beetle, Cassida, and on the Curculionid 

 Brachyderes. 



The above are the only published references upon this subject that I 

 have been able to find among the limited literature at my command. 



On the 17th of June, 1888, 

 I obtained several Dipterous 

 pupae from the abdomen of a 

 dead Calosoma perigrinator 

 Guer., and three flies issued 

 from these pupae on the 25th 

 of the same month ; they be- 

 long to the genus 21asicera of 

 Macquart, but the species is 

 still undetermined. 



On the 21st of June, 1889, 

 I saw a Dipterous larva issue 

 from the abdomen of an adult 

 Diabrotica soror Lee. ; it soon 

 afterward pupated, the fly 

 issuing on the oth of the fol- 

 lowing month. Since this 

 time I have succeeded in ob- 

 taining quite a number of the 

 pupae of this parasite, the flies 

 from which issued at various 

 times during the month of 

 August. The larva in issu- 

 ing usually breaks away the larger portion of the beetle's abdomen, and 

 pupates wherever it chances to find a resting place — in a depression of 

 a leaf, in the axil, or on the ground, making no attempt at concealing 

 itself. Among a large series of beetles examined fully one-third con- 

 tained larvae of this parasite, each infested beetle containing only a 

 single larva. 



This parasite is very interesting, not only on account of the fact that 

 it aids the horticulturist in lessening the attacks of the destructive 

 Diabroticas, but also on accouut of the peculiar structure of the male 

 abdomen, the second segment of which has a large flattened process on 

 the underside — a peculiarity which does not exist in any other Dipteron 

 known to me, nor can I find any reference to it in any work upon this 



Fig. 46. — Celatoria craioii : a, adult fly ; b, head of same 

 from front ; c, abdominal appendage from side ; d, ab- 

 dominal appendage from bebind ; e, wing showing vena- 

 tion — all enlarged (original). 



