263 



affairs interested me and I began to Avatcli. She would run her bill in as deeply as 

 possible and then draw it half way out and plunge it l)ack in the characteristic way 

 of nios(][uitoes when they are enjoying a sanguinary repast on an animal. She stayed 

 about five minutes, but did not seem to fill up in the least, so I concluded she was 

 having a dry time of it, and as I wanted the biscuit I tried to move her off, not 

 wishing to Ivill her after her entertainment, but she did not seem inclined to go, and 

 only did so by being forced. — [Alvah A. Eaton, California, February 2, 1893. 



The Cluster Fly Household Pest. 



I send a few flies as specimens of a pest that has proven to be very troublesome 

 to us for nearly fifteen years past. If the weather is favorable — which must be 

 warm and sultry — they usually come out about the first of September and continue 

 until the weather gets quite cool. They seem to prefer to occupy the rooms on the 

 north side of the house and those that are used but little. They gather in large 

 bunches in the corners and all along the edge of the ceiling of the room. They can 

 not be driven out as other flies, but mifst be killed outright to get rid of them, and 

 when you mash them the odor is like that of honey. We have tried nearly every- 

 thing that we heard of that was recommended to us, with no effect. It seems impos- 

 sible to get rid of them or keep them out of the house, for they crawl in through the 

 smallest places in the windows. The fumes of sulphur or pyrethrum seem to have 

 no effect upon them. 



We would be glad to know something of the life-history and breeding places, and 

 if there is any way to get rid of them. — [Mrs. A. E. Brunk, Lasalle County, 111., 

 October 21, 1892, 



Reply. — * * * The insect is the common Cluster Fly (PoZ/ewia?-M<?t8) so-called 

 from the habit which you describe of clustering in houses in the fall. The early 

 stages of this insect do not appear to be known, although we have found the pupa- 

 ria in the roots of grass about three inches below the surface of the ground. You 

 can destroy the flies after they have entered the house by putting fresh pyrethrum 

 powder upon them by means of a little bellows. The smoke of burning pyrethrum 

 does not seem to avail against them. Of the different pyrethrum poAvders upon the 

 market you will probably find ^' California Buhach " to be the freshest and best. — 

 [October 25, 1892.] 



Chrysanthemums and the Drone-fly. 



On the back of the bulletin containing the Sugar-cane Borer article, you will see 

 a letter by Mrs. S. Heaven, i)art of which relates to the non-seeding of Chrysanthe- 

 mums here. It seems that if Chrysanthemums, which flourish well in our moun- 

 tains, could be got to seed, a profitable industry might be carried on, the seeds 

 being of high market value. It at once occurred to me that onr yvant of EristaUs 

 tenax might explain the non-seeding, and the question has arisen, Shall we import 

 that fly? But there is some literature of the EristaUs-Chrysanthemum matter which 

 I have not seen, and I have not learned that the pollenization by Eristalis is proved 

 by experiment. I should be very glad to have your opinion on the matter. Do you 

 believe in the alleged usefulness of the fly? — [T. D. A. Cockerell, Jamaica. 



Reply. — There has been some discussion in American journals in regard to the 

 cross-fertilization of Chrysanthemums by ^rjs/a7i5 ienax. You will find an article 

 by Dr. John Hamilton in Entomolor/ica Americana for May, 1890 (pp. 81-83), and 

 shorter notes on pp. 126 and 218 of the same volume. An article by' John B. Smith 

 is printed in Garden end Eoresf, July 2, 1890 (p. 326), and another by J. G. Jack in 

 the same journal for September 10, 1890 (p. 446). No careful and accurate experi- 

 ments seem to have been made in this country, although it is a matter which could 

 easily be settled by a few simple experiments. Certain Chrysanthemum growers 

 consider this fly responsible for the cross-fertilization and consequent fertility and 



