BULLETIN 812, U 
S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
is to the growing of alfalfa or clover for a seed crop, and the insect 
may therefore be considered strictly a seed pest. 
FOOD PLANTS. 
The following plants have been found to be food plants of the 
chalcis-fly, B. funebris, seeds of each of these having been found in- 
fested by this species: 
Alfalfa {Medicago sati va ) . 
Red clover {Trifolium pratense). 
Bur clover {Medicago hispida nigra). 
Bur clover {Medicago hispida terebellum) . 
Bur clover {Medicago hispida denticulata) . 
Medicago falcata. 
Medicago ruthemia. 
Medicago timet ana. 
Medicago tuberculata. 
Medicago arabica. 
The seeds of the following list of closely related plants apparently 
are not attacked by the chalcis-fly: 
White clover {Trifolium repens). 
Alsike clover {Trifolium hybridum). 
Yellow sweet clover {Melilotus officinalis). 
White sweet clover {Melilotus alba). 
Sour clover {Melilotus indica). 
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. 
Table I shows the destruction of alfalfa and clover seed as found 
in samples of seed taken in the given localities. 
Table I. — Percentage of alfalfa and red clover seed found infested by Brucho- 
phagus funebris. 
Locality. 
Date of 
collection. 
Seeds examined. 
Seed de- 
stroyed. 
Total. 
Infested. 
Sept. 19. 1914 
do 
886 
902 
156 
1,374 
1,000 
1.100 
1,053 
1,236 
1.091 
1,005 
1,115 
1,22S 
1,255 
1,364 
1,125 
i;02S 
1,157 
872 
691 
263 
1,307 
866 
3,007 
263 
574 
45 
81 
723 
361 
260 
222 
400 
291 
268 
315 
311 
672 
489 
245 
533 
330 
747 
212 
217 
50 
237 
1,761 
83 
195 
Per cent. 
0.7 
5 
52 
52.6 
36.1 
23.6 
21 
32.3 
26.5 
26.6 
28.2 
25.3 
54.4 
36 
21.7 
48.1 
28 
85 
30.7 
82 
3.8 
27.3 
58.5 
31 
34 
Do 
Do. 
Sept. 5,1914 
May 7.1915 
May 12,1915 
May 20,1915 
May 28,1915 
June 8. 1915 
June 17,1915 
June 23,1915 
July 2, 1915 
do 
Bard, Calif. 
Alfalfa seed. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
July 28,1915 
Aug. 4,1915 
do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Aug. 8, 1915 
do 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Do 
Oct. 12,1915 
Nov. 10.1914 
Sept. 2,1912 
Sept. 11,1914 
Sept. 10, 1914 
Apr. 12,1912 
Oct. 25,1914 
Sept. 24, 1912 
Do. 
Bishop, Calif 
Do. 
Buckeye, Ariz 
Do. 
Do. 
Caldwell, Idaho 
Do. 
Chico, Calif 
Do. 
Do 
Do. 
Chino, Calif 
Do. 
