REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 



397 



Fig. 11a.— Dorsal view of the chitinous processes beneath the median dorsal 



plate of the terminal segment in the male of S. coprophila. 

 Figs. 12, 12a.— Ditto of the male of S. caldaria. 



Figure 1 is enlarged about twenty diameters; the others are much more 

 enlarged. 



Sciara caldaria nov. sp. 



The Greenhouse Sciara. 



(Ord. Diptera : Fam. Mycetophilidjs.) 



A communication from a lady of Boise, Idaho (April 20, 1893), gives 

 the following particulars of some " fungus gnats," believed by her to 

 have been injurious in her greenhouse: 



The fly, or flies more properly, for there are thousands of them in 

 my greenhouse, congregate wherever there is the least leaf mold or 

 manure (cow), no matter how old or well-rotted it may be. They lay 

 their eggs in the soil or under the pots or boxes; they seem (some of 

 them) to shed their wings, and produce a white worm which is very 

 difficult to kill. I have fumigated the greenhouse twice a week, used 

 lime and lime-water and kerosene emulsion in the soil — not in a half- 

 way manner, but thoroughly, and still they are just as bad again the 

 next day. I tried dipping the pots in raw kerosene; the next morning 

 on lifting the pots, the little wrigglers ran in all directions. They 

 have done much damage, and" I hope, for the benefit of others as well 

 as myself, that you can give an idea of how to rid the house of them. 

 I send to-day a phial with the flies. 



Not Known to be Injurious in Greenhouses. 

 It has not, so far as known to me, been satisfactorily determined if 

 the " fungus gnats " are the occasion of any positive injury in green- 

 houses. We would be glad to learn from our correspondent the 

 character of the damage which the insect of which she has written has 

 caused her, and also the amount, and any other particulars that may 

 add to our knowledge of its habits and life-history. 



General Features of the Fly. 

 The mature insect is a small fly or midge, closely allied in classifica- 

 tion, structure, and general appearance, to the destructive midges that 

 infest our grain and clover crops. It is one-tenth of an inch in length, 

 with a black head, and dark-brown body, rather large and finely haired, 

 transparent wings showing brilliant gold and purple reflections, and 

 having but few veins. The abdomen of the female is narrowed and 

 quite prolonged posteriorly. It is active and restless in its movements, 

 and its long legs serve their purpose in running and leaping. 



