47 



on her work. The eggs are laid in boat-like masses on the water and the larvae are alto- 

 gether aquatic — feeding generally on decaying vegetable matter at the bottom of the 

 water. In this state they may be considered as essentially beneficial, checking by their 

 operations the malaria arising from stagnant water. 



The Tipulidce, or crane flies, are well known to all under the familiar name of Daddy- 

 long-legs. These, of course, are only the typical members of this large family, and are 

 found in great numbers in wet meadow lands ; the larvae feed on the roots of grass, and 

 very often cause a great deal of damage. 



The flies have a slender cylindrical abdomen, and long slender legs, which enable 

 them to pass easily over the higher blades of grass ; the eggs are deposited by the female 

 in the ground, and the larvae live and undergo their transformations there. 



In this section we also find a large family of insects of very small size, some of which 

 in their earlier state reside in gall-like excrescences which they produce upon various 

 plants ; some " only produce a folding of the leaf, swelling of a leaf-rib, or arrest the 

 growth of a bud or stalk." 



These insects are known as Cecidomyides, or midges. Those well-known pests, the 

 f Hessian fly and the wheat midge have been well described 



in former reports by the Rev. C. J. S. Bethune, and their 

 life history has been carefully related, we will 

 therefore only refresh our readers' memories 

 by reproducing their likeness. 



Fig. 19 represents a highly magnified speci- 

 men, with the wings expanded, of Cecidomyia 

 tritici, Kirby, the wheat midge. 



Fig. 20 shows the same 

 insect with the wings closed. 



The eggs are laid (Fig. 21) 

 in the blossom of the wheat ; 

 and produce in about a week 

 the larvae, of which Fig. 22 is Fig. 21. 

 Wing! folded. a hi % h] y magnified representation. 



Fig. 23 shows a wheat kernel affected by 



Eggs. 



Fig. 19. 

 the midge. 



Wings open. 



The wheat midge has transparent wings, while those of the Hessian fly, 



Fig. 22. Larvae. 



Fig. 25. 



(Fig. 24), Cecidomyia destructor, Say., are dusky, 

 as will be seen by reference to Fig. 24. The wheat 

 midge attacks the ear, while the Hessian fly at- 

 tacks the stalk. 



Clover Midges. 



Fig. 25 is another midge known as Cecidomyia 

 trifolii, Low, or the clover-leaf midge ; the larva 

 attacks the white clover, living within the folded 

 leaves. According to Prof. Comstock " such 

 leaves on being opened were found to contain 

 from one to twenty whitish, or pale orange 

 maggots, resembling much the larvae of the 

 clover seed midge, but being 

 somewhat smaller. The 

 younger maggots were nearly 

 white, while the older ones 

 were of a decided orange 

 hue." 



The clover seed midge, 

 C ecidomyia leguminico la , Lint . 

 as well as the clover leaf 

 midge, were described by Mr. 



Fig. 23. 

 Wheat leaf. 



leaf Midge. 



24. Hessian Fly. 



Wm, Saunders in last year's report. 



