14 
fact that isolated plants on waste areas form the earliest pods, and 
the seed fields are cut for hay before the seed crop is grown. A 
sudden scarcity of eggs, feeding larva?, and pupae is seen in the field 
in October, which is due to the harresting of the latest seed crops. 
Eesting larvae continue to remain on the field throughout the winter 
in remaining seed pods, but are much more abundant along fence 
lines. Spring irrigation of seed fields hastens emergence of adults, 
and this results in the absence of resting larvae and pupae on most 
fields during the month of May. 
PARTHENOGENESIS. 
The parthenogenetic habit is well established in the females of 
this species. Female adults, reared from pupae which were com- 
pletely isolated, were placed in cages for oviposition into green 
alfalfa seed pods. All precautions were taken against earlier in- 
festation of the green seeds. These virgin females oviposited freely, 
and their progeny was reared in breeding cages. The largest num- 
ber of offspring from a single female observed by the writer was 20, 
and all of the progeny of these virgin females proved to be males. 
CONTROL METHODS. 
The practical methods of controlling the chalcis-fly in the alfalfa 
and clover seed fields are mostly cultural methods. It can not be 
hoped to eradicate this pest from any seed-producing locality; but 
with the proper methods effectively applied thousands of dollars 
can be saved annually to the different seed-growing districts. Be- 
cause of the rapid dispersion of the adults of this species it is of 
vital importance that control methods should be taken up by com- 
munity action rather than by the individual. 
BURNING OVER OF FENCE LINES. 
Everywhere in the alfalfa and red clover seed-growing districts 
one will find large quantities of standing plants along the fence 
lines and waste areas bearing the seeds infested by hibernating larvae. 
Many hibernating larvae of the chalcis-fly can be destroyed in the 
fall of the year by burning over such areas, thereby greatly lessen- 
ing the abundant emergence of adults in early spring. It has 
been found that live stock can not be depended upon to rid the fence 
lines of standing alfalfa in the winter unless there is a great short- 
age of forage. 
WINTER CULTIVATION. 
The cultivation of alfalfa seed fields during the winter is of much 
value in covering the infested alfalfa seeds containing hibernating 
larva?. It is not necessary that infested seeds should be covered to 
