^2 DIPTERA. 



May or June. Some flies, however, are said to appear 

 as perfect insects in July or August of the same season. 

 In 1854 the amount lost by the ravages of the Wheat- 

 midge in New York, was estimated by the N. Y. St. 

 Ag. Soc. to exceed fifteen million dollars; and in 1857 

 the same insect destroyed one-third of the crop in 

 Canada, amounting to eight millions of bushels." 

 Glover, 21, 19. 



Remedies. — Deep plowing in the fall or spring. Sow 

 wheat late, (i, 375 ; 2, 587; 4, VI, 3). 



TiPULiD.'E {Crane-flies).* 



These flies are easily recognized by their large size, 

 long legs, and slender antenna; and palpi. " The pres- 

 ence of a transverse V-shaped suture across the meso- 

 notum, would alone be sufficient to distinguish the Tip- 

 tilidce from the neighboring families." (Osten Sacken). 



The larva.' live in various situations, in the soil, in 

 vegetable mould, in wood, and even upon the leaves 

 of plants. Some of them are destructive to the roots 

 of grass, grain, and vegetables. Some larvae of this 

 family have a curious habit of collecting together by 

 thousands, and, adhering to each other by a sticky 

 substance, forming a serpent-like animal, sometimes sev- 

 eral yards in length, which travels over the ground as 

 an individual. 



Three-banded Crane-fly, Tipula trivittata Say. — 

 Most common species in Ithaca. Adult occurs in great 

 numbers in May and June. Habits of larva? 



*Scc monograph of this family, by B.-iron Oslcn Sackcn, in the Smithsonian Monograph 

 of North Ameiican Diptera, Part IV. 



