ELM CATERPILLARS. 
265 
In fact, the American Yellow-billed Cuckoo, the Baltimore Oriole, and the Robin are 
the only birds which have been observed to feed upon the larvae. Predaceous insects 
are also not particularly fond of this hairy caterpillar, the well-known Wheel-bug 
(Prionidus cristatus, Fig. 104 ) and a few other Soldier-bugs being the only species 
which occasionally suck its juices. Nocturnal birds, and especially bats, will, no 
doubt, devour many of the male moths flying about after dusk, but the destruction 
Fig. 104.— Prionidus cristatus: eggs, larvae, and full-grown specimens. (After Glover). 
of a portion of the males has no appreciable influence on the decrease of the worms 
of the next generation. The egg-masses appear to be effectually protected by the 
froth-like covering, as neither bird nor predaceous insect has been observed to destroy 
them. 
While the list of enemies that devour the species is thus small, that of the parasites 
is fortunately quite large, and it is due to their iufluence that the caterpillars are 
not permanently injurious. There are several true parasites of this insect. Fitch 
described one species which he bred in considerable numbers from the larva, as 
Trichogrammaf orgyice, but a perusal of his account indicates plainly that this par- 
asite is an Eulophus. He also described a closely-related insect as Trichogramma f 
fraterna and gave it as a very probable parasite of Orgyia. There is, however, not 
the slightest evidence of such parasitism and this insect must in future be excluded 
from the list of parasites of the Orgyia larvae. We have reared from this insect 
Pimpla inquisitor, and an undetermined Tachinid fly, and have had from the larva 
the cocoons of a Microgaster which has not been reared to the imago. We have also 
bred a true egg-parasite of the genus Telenomm, two distinct species of the genus 
Pteromalus from the larvae, and Mr. Lintner has sent us a specimen of a species of 
Tetrastichus, which is probably parasitic upon one of the Pteromali. 
35. Halesidota tessellaris Hb. 
This beautiful insect, whether we consider the caterpillar or the motb> 
is said by Harris to be very common throughout the United States on 
