254 
preys upon the young larve of this butterfly, Apanteles limenitidis 
Riley. 
H. tischerie was reared under circumstances, however, which leave 
no doubt that it is a primary parasite of Tischeria solidaginifoliella. 
I have recorded upon page 29 of Bulletin No. 5 of this Division the facet 
that not only was no Microgaster observed, but the Elasmus larva was 
several times found feeding externally, just prior to pupation, upon the 
larva of the leaf-miner. This observation definitely settles the fact, till 
then unproven, that Hlasmus is sometimes beneficial. Another species 
as yet undescribed has also been reared from the cocoons of Aspidiseca 
splendoriforella, wpon which species it is undoubtedly a primary parasite. 
The Microgaster feeding habit would rest upon the general statement 
of Thomson were it not for the fact that we have reared a large series of 
Hlasmus atratus How. MS., from the cocoons of Apanteles hyphantrie 
Riley, and from the cocoons of Limneria pallipes Prov., which, as well as 
the Apanteles, is parasitic upon Hyphantria cunea in the District of 
Columbia. This curious variation in host habit is so interesting that 
we bring together the facts and illustrate the genus by Fig. 39, which 
represents the male of #. varius. Entomologists who may be engaged 
in rearing the Microlepidoptera will probably meet with other species 
of this genus, and there is every reason to suppose that the group is 
largely represented in the United States. It is perhaps still more 
largely represented in the West Indian fauna, since we have found ~ 
eight species in a small collection made by Mr. H. H. Smith on the 
island of St. Vincent. 
The illustrations upon Plate LX of the Annual Report of the Entomol- 
ogist, Annual Report of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 1888, 
at Fig. 2, represent a new genus of Elasmine from Australia to which 
Prof. Riley has given the MS. name Huryischia lestophoni. This insect 
is parasitic upon Lestophonus icerye Williston, a small Dipterous para- 
site of the Fluted Scale. 
BEES OF GREAT VALUE TO FRUIT AND SEED GROWERS. 
By FRANK BENTON. 
At last fruit-growers and bee-keepers are getting into right relations 
with each other. The numerous discussions which have taken place 
regarding the value of bees as fertilizers of fruit blossoms and of those 
blossoms of plants grown for their seeds, and regarding the alleged 
damage to fruit by bees have led to close observation and careful ex- 
perimentation, the results of which show that the interests of these two 
classes of producers conflict in but trifling respects—that, in fact, bee- 
keepers and fruit-growers are of great help to each other, and even 
indispensable if each is to obtain the best results in his work. 
s 
