IIYMK.NOPTEROUS PARASITES OF ALETIA. 
113 
over a strong light ; they are of a dark color. Wings four; hymenopterous j incuni- 
bent, t'Xtt.*n<ling to ahd exactly even with the end of the tail; shape of the wings, 
which are small and extremely delicate, like that of a fan. Front legs half the length 
of the posterior, of B uniform orange color; the intermediate leg.s very little longer 
than the anterior; the thighs of a deep orange color, the rest of the leg anuulated 
with orange and white. The posterior legs long in comparison to the others ; thighs 
of a deep orange eolor, the rest of the leg anuulated with black and white, the rings 
being larger than those of the intermediate. The trunk is of a uniform shining black, 
as would be the upper surface of the abdomen also were it not for the very narrow 
white bands which connect the black scales together, giving to the abdomen an an- 
uulated appearance ; these white lines do not encircle the abdomen, but terminate 
uniformly on the sides. On the under surface of the abdomen these white rings again 
commence, which are larger than those on the upper surface, causing the abdomen to 
look almost white. The tail terminates in a bifurcated sheath, inclosing a long blunt 
sting, projecting considerably beyond the tail, and forming a very prominent feature 
in the general figure of the insect. This is a small, slender insect, much longer than 
the honey bee, but not so thick. 
In 18.*>1 Mr. Affleck figured and described what is probably this spe- 
cies in his Rural Almanac. In 1855 Mr. Glover also treated of the same 
parasite. The other public mentions were by Glover in 1SG7, Phares in. 
IciGS, and William Jones in L868. 
The Watchful Pimpla is randy, if ever, bred from Aletia, except late 
in the fall, when it is occasionally found in great numbers (vide the ex- 
periences of Aftleck, Gorham, and Jones), and it seems altogether prob- 
able that during the summer months this parasite, prefers other cater- 
pillars, resorting to the Cotton Worms only at the end of the season, when 
other caterpillars are wanting or very scarce, Aletia being one of the 
last species of the season. This parasite usually hibernates as a pupa 
within the Aletia pupa, but often issues in the fall. 
The King-legged Pimpla.— This is another species (Pimpla annu- 
lipes Br., Fig. -10) of the same genus, having about the same size and 
general appearance, but having the rings on the abdomen dusky or 
reddish instead of whitish, and (littering in 
other minute particulars. It is less numer- 
ous than the preceding, but we have ob- 
tained it from chrysalides on several occa- 
sions. In habit it is precisely like conquisitor, 
and equally widespread and destructive to 
other species of lepidoptera, being one of the 
few parasites of the common Apple Worm 
( Carpocapsa pcmumeUa). 
Ckyptus nuncius (Fig. 41).— A third 
j Ichneumon-fly, belonging to a different 
' genus and having similar habits with the 
Fig. 40. — Pimpla annuity, : Outline Pimplas just described, except that the pupa 
men V 1lftL f KUey ) and abd °' is formed 111 a cocoon, may (considering the 
the known variability of coloration in the 
species of the genus) be referred to Cryptus nuncius. Say. It is a black 
and red, four-winged fly, with transparent wings, and issues from the 
Aletia chrysalis during the spring. It is a well-known parasite of our 
03 CONG 8 
