INSECTS AS FUNGUS HOSTS. 
RY 
Henry Tryon. 
(Read on 20th July, 1803). 
UuEiNG tlie last three months there has been more than one 
instance reported of caterpillars occurring in formidable numbers 
and doing extensive damage to growing crops, and it must have 
been thought by many that if even a small proportion of these 
arrived at the imago or perfect condition, and eggs were in turn 
produced, and so eventually a greatly augumented host of larv®, 
the prospects of those who were dependent on the products of 
the soil for their livelihood would be gloomy indeed. It happens, 
however, that these caterpillars have terrible enemies to contend 
with, before whose onslaught they at times almost wholly 
succumb. 
As a case in point it may be mentioned that quite recently 
numerous large ichneumon flies with red bodies and steel-blue 
wings, belongmg to the genus Pimpla, might have been seen 
tln-oughout the day in Musgrave Park, South Brisbane, passing 
rapidly to and fro just above the surface of the grass growing in 
the low-lying situations there, and ever and anon suddenly 
alighting and creeping amongst the herbage. Even at m^ i a 
they were still at their posts, remaining— three or four together- 
stationary on the grass stems. The curious observer might 
further have noticed that they were m quest of fat, naked, 
striped grubs— the cateqiillars of a noctuid moth— which in 
turn were present in such numbers as completely to keep the 
growth of the herbage in check, and that whenever one of these 
was discovered by the ichneumon, the latter pierced it wit i a 
formidable ovipositor, that it might yield food for a future pro- 
geny. So numerous indeed were these ichneumons that it 
seemed unlikely that any caterpillars would escape their attacks, 
notwithstanding the latter lay quiet and concealed till daikness 
supervened, w'lien their depredations would commence. 
