THE CALLIEPHIALTES PARASITE OF THE CODLING 
MOTH 
By R. A. Cushman 
Entomological Assistant, Deciduous Fruit Insect Investigations, Bureau of Entomology 
INTRODUCTION 
The notes and observations on which the present paper is based 
were obtained at Vienna, Va., under the direction of Prof. A. L. Quain- 
tance, in Charge of Deciduous Fruit Insect Investigations, Bureau of 
Entomology, the writer having been assigned to work on the parasites of 
deciduous fruit insects at the Vienna laboratory in the spring of 1911. 
So much has been published concerning the Calliephialtes parasite of 
the codling moth, under the names Calliephialtes messor Grav. and 
Ephialtes carbonarius Christ, since its introduction into California that it 
seemed advisable to begin the work on the project with a study of this 
species and its liberation on a large scale. The specimens with which 
the start was made were obtained from two lots of parasitized codling- 
moth larvae secured in 1911 from the California State Insectary. The 
propagation from the first lot was unsuccessful, only three diminutive 
males being reared. The second lot was received in the late summer. 
These were reared to maturity, 15 females and a larger number of males 
being secured. After these had mated they were given access to codling- 
moth larvae that had been compelled to spin their cocoons in strips of 
strawboard. The parasites oviposited very readily in the codling-moth 
cocoons. The progeny of these individuals did not emerge until the fol¬ 
lowing spring. A large majority were lost in an attempt to force them 
through to early maturity in a greenhouse, where, in spite of daily soak- 
ings with water, the pupae dried up. A few females forced to maturity 
in this way deposited eggs, but only males came from them. However, 
21 females and 52 males were reared later from unforced material, and it 
was with these that the real start in the work was made in the spring of 
1912. 
* During the season of 1912 several hundred individuals of both sexes 
were reared under observation from egg to maturity. The results of 
these observations are recorded in the following pages. 
While the major part of the work was performed by the writer, it was 
greatly facilitated by the work of Mr. J. D. Luckett, half of whose time 
during the period from June 15 to September 15, 1912, was spent in 
assisting in this work. 
Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. I, No. 3 
Dept, of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Dec. 10, 1913 
K-3 
(211) 
17072 —13—3 
