54 



IITJURIOUS lifSECTS 



two circumscribed localities in the AYest, and even there 

 does comjiaratively but little damage. 



The Imported Onion Fly lays her eggs while the onions 

 are small (in May and June), depositing them on the 

 leaves near the surface of the ground. The maggots soon 

 hatch and make their way down to the base of the young 

 bulb, sometimes as many as two or three in a single 

 onion: here they feed for about a fortnight, when they 

 usually leave the bulb and turn into chestnut-colored 

 pupae in the earth near by. In about two weeks the 



Fig. 35. — IMPORTED oi^iON-FLT {Anthomyia ceparum). 



a, Larva; Z), do. magnified ; c, Pnpa; (7, do. magnified; e, Fly, enlarged, real size 

 shown by the lines below. 



second brood of flies issues from these pupae, to lay eggs 

 and continue the destructive work. The eggs of the 

 later broods are not usually deposited on the leaves, but 

 on the bulb itself, close to the ground. 



Re:m:edies. — The onions attacked soon turn yellow, 

 and should be removed from the bed at once; this, if 

 thoroughly done, will get rid of the maggots that would 

 develop into the next brood of flies. The sickly onions 

 should be lifted with the aid of an old knife, to be sure 

 and bring up the maggot with tlie onion; if they are 

 simply pulled, the maggot may escape from the decayed 

 bulb. Place these infested onions in a pail or other 

 vessel from which the maggots can not escape, and burn 



