610 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
gall-fly, and that if so, it might throw some light upon the cause and true 
nature of these excrescences. And it is altogether probable that this is 
the same insect which in some of the published accounts has been referred 
to as a gall-fly that is sometimes seen upon these black-knots, and was 
conjectured to produce them, as other flies of this kind produce the swell¬ 
ings on the limbs of oaks and other trees. 
On examining these flies, I saw they were a parasitic insect, wholly dif¬ 
ferent from, though having many points of resemblance to the gall-flies; 
and it having never been described, I gave it the name of the curculio 
parasite (Sigalphus cnrculionis ) in an account of it, published in the 
Country Gentleman and also in the Albany Cultivator, in October last. 
of which I present for your inspection, 
resembles a winged ant in its appearance. 
It is a small black four-winged fly, with 
bright orange-yellow legs, its hind feet 
and shanks being black. One of its most 
peculiar marks, (as yon will notice on the 
figure) is, that the abdomen or hind body 
has only three joints, instead of six or 
seven, the number we usually see in in¬ 
sects. You will also notice, projecting 
from the end of its abdomen, a bristle¬ 
like sting. It is with this implement 
that it pierces the fruit or the black 
knot and punctures the skin of the cur¬ 
culio worm lying therein, at the same 
instant inserting an egg under the skin, 
the worm from which egg feeds in the 
interior of the curculio worm till it causes 
its death. Thus each one of these flies punctures and destroys probably 
more than a hundred curculio worms. It is therefore fervently to behoped 
that this insect may multiply and extend itself over our land, rendering 
us a service which no other instrumentality can accomplish. 
It remains for us to consider the Remedies by which this insect may be 
opposed, and the fruit saved from its ravages. 
In glancing over our agricultural publications, quite a number of these 
will be met with, none of which have gained the public confidence, and 
which it is therefore unnecessary to notice. 
The remedy which has been much the most extensively resorted to, is 
one which has long been recommended and practiced against insects of 
similar habits in Europe, and which was brought into public notice in this 
country by the highly respected David Thomas, lately deceased It was 
modestly proposed by him as a partial remody, which might be resorted to 
with advantage until something more effectual is discovered. 
It is the habit of this, as of all weevils and several other insects, when 
This insect, a magnified figure 
Curculio Parasite, greatly magnified. 
The cross lines indicate its natural 
width and length. 
