THE SUGAR-CANE MOTH BORER. 61 
The writers were prevented from introducing parasites known to 
attack the moth borer in Cuba, however, and it seemed worth while 
'to give Ceromasia a trial. A cage isolated from ants was arranged, 
and in 2 feet of soil at the bottom of this cage a number of cane plants 
were set. Later nearly 200 stalks of cane containing tunnels of the 
moth borer and probably many borers were secured and put into the 
cage, one end of each stalk being pushed into the ground. Mr. Otto 
H. Swezey, entomologist of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Experi- 
ment Station, in September, 1917, kindly gave directions for the 
preparation of this cage and caused puparia of Ceromasia collected in 
Hawaii to be sent to the writers, who placed the adults in the cage as 
soon as they emerged. Eighty-seven puparia were received, from 
which 23 flies emerged. About half of the adults were small, but 
many were of normal size. Mr. Swezey's instructions were followed 
closely, ants Were kept out of the cage, the plants were sprinkled 
daily, and honey and overripe fruit were provided as food for the 
flies. 
It was found that the infestation by the moth borer in the cage 
was far higher than that usually found in the field. The growing 
plants were so heavily infested that they did not make any appre- 
ciable growth throughout the remainder of the season. Though pro- 
vided with possible hosts in such numbers, the parasites did not 
attack the borer. Some of the cane stalks were cut open at the end 
of six weeks, the length of a generation of the parasite in Ha- 
waii, but no evidence was found that they had parasitized any borers, 
although many live borers were found. More cane was examined 
later with the same negative result. 
EXPERIMENT WITH A PARASITE FROM CUBA. 
In 1915 the junior author went to Cuba to obtain, if possible, a 
tachinid parasite of the moth borer which had been reported by 
Mr. George N. Wolcott. It was found that while the moth borer was 
present, it was by no means as injurious as in Louisiana, and that 
the tachinid parasite Euzenilliopsis* cliatraeae Townsend evidently 
had much to do with its comparative control. 
Living puparia of the tachinid parasite were obtained and for- 
warded to the senior author in New Orleans from time to time dur- 
ing the summer of 1915. Cages of many kinds were utilized, al- 
though none of the type which had been found satisfactory in Hawaii 
with tachinids was used. In every experiment the parasites died 
without attacking the host larvae provided for them. Finally it was 
decided to release the adults in the fields at Audubon Park as soon 
as they emerged from the puparia. Following this action, during 
the next grinding season one puparium was recovered in a stalk of 
cane, and an adult of the species introduced from Cuba emerged 
from it, 
