135 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 



Notes from Missouri. 



* * * Tho development of tlio Oak Clu'imes seems to me very anomalous. Un- 

 less the insect has entirelj^ eluded me all development for the season stopped at the 

 jioiut of hatching and disi)ersing. Since then, although I have examined the in- 

 fested trees every few days throughout the summer, there has heen no change. Oc- 

 casionally a cluster of the salmon-colored larvae may be found in a dormant condi- 

 tion under the' scales at the base of the new growth. I infer from this that the 

 larv.ii become active A^ery early in the spring and pass their transformations at that 

 season when the sap flows most freely and their natural enemies are less numerous. 

 I send examples of the most conspicuous and effective of these enemies. I also put 

 in some other things in which you may be interested. 



If you could see the ruinous work of the Osage Orange Pyralid on the hedges 

 around Kirkwood this summer you would be better able to realize the baneful im- 

 portance of the insect than you can from any description of mine. 



As a rule the usual pests have not been troublesome this year, with the exception 

 of the Codling Moth. Strange to say the Colorado Potato-beetle seems to have en- 

 tirely deserted us. I have looked in vain for a few larvse on which to test some de- 

 coctions which I fancied might prove useful insecticides, but I could not find even 

 one. Do not infer from this that the potato crop is good, for, for some climatic 

 reason, it never was poorer throughout this region. [Mary E. Murtfeldt, Missouri, 

 September 6, 1892. 



[In connection with the above. Miss Murtfeldt sent certain species for determina- 

 tion, on some of which were interesting notes, as follows :] 



Exocliomus ti-ipustulatus. — This beautiful Coccinellid, if I am not mistaken, was 

 rare in this locality until last year. It is the most important of the foes of the Oak 

 Chermes, the larvae tearing open the scales and feeding voraciously upon the eggs 

 and joung. 



Pentaria trifasciata is an interesting little beetle, which I bred from larvje living 

 upon the scales of Chermes. 



Chiloneurus albicorniis and Encyrtus sp, — The most important of the Hymen op ter- 

 ous parasites of the Oak Chermes. 



Tetrastichus sp. — I think this tiny fly is a ^^ secondary " parasite. 



Semijytyclius punctatus. — I do not know whether this beetle bred from the scales of 

 the insect or from the twigs of the tree, but I have reason for suspecting the former. 



Trichoharis trinotaia var. — I bred two specimens of this pretty curculio from the 

 woody stems of Solarium carolinense. 



Trypeta electa Say. — The larva? of this fly were in almost every fruit of Solarium 

 carolinense lust fall, destroying a large proportion of the seed. The scarcity of the 

 weed hereabout this season may perhaps be in great measure attributed to this in- 

 sect. I had a great many in rearing jars, but was not very successful in breeding 

 them. 



Phcedrotoma sanguinea is parasitic on the above. It resembles species that I have 

 found bred from the larger Microlepidoptera, but as this was from a Dipteron it may 

 be distinct. 



Parexorista sp. ? — Especially interesting from the fact of its breeding in the Acorn 

 Carpocapsa. 



Piophila casei. — I have recently bred these flies from some infested ham sent me 



