tetrastichus bruchophagi, a recently de¬ 
scribed PARASITE OF BRUCHOPHAGUS FUNEBRIS 
By Theodore D. Urbahns, 
Entomological Assistant , Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations, Bureau of Entomology , 
United States Department of Agriculture 
INTRODUCTION 
Tetrastichus bruchophagi Gahan was one of several new species of 
parasites found attacking Bruchophagus funebris Howard, which was 
breeding in alfalfa seeds throughout the San Joaquin and other valleys 
of California during the seasons of 1912 and 1913. Infested alfalfa 
seeds ( Medicago saliva) were obtained at different times from various 
localities, and these showed that this parasite attacked B . funebris over 
a widely distributed area. 
Most of the observations concerning the habits of this parasite were 
made from material taken to the temporary laboratory at Glendale, Cal. 
* DISCOVERY OF THE INSECT AND ITS DISTRIBUTION 
This species was first reared by the author in November, 1912, from 
B. funebris infesting alfalfa seeds which were collected at Tulare, Cal. 
On April 22, 1913, it was secured from material collected at Corcoran, 
Cal., and on July 9, from Glendale, Cal. It was reared on August 12 
of the same year from Yuma, Ariz.; on August 26 from Sacramento, Cal.; 
and on October 11 from Dos Palos, Cal. During 1914 it was also reared, 
on June 16, from Stockton, Cal.; September 8, from Red Bluff, Cal.; 
and September 16, from Woodland, Cal., from alfalfa seeds collected at 
these points. 
On September 11 it was reared from B. funebris infesting red-clover 
seeds (Trifolium incarnatum) taken at Albany, Oreg. During April, 
1915, it was found on B. funebris in alfalfa seeds from Bishop, Cal., and 
was reared from red-clover heads infested by B. funebris , secured through 
Mr. W. J. Phillips at Charlottesville, Va. On June 10 it was reared 
from infested red-clover heads secured from Mr. J. J. Davis at La 
Fayette, Ind., and on July 8 it was reared from red-clover heads 
secured from Akron, Ind. Mr. C. N. Ainslie reared miscellaneous in¬ 
sects from red clover collected at Hudson, Mich., August 21, 1906, and 
from Rochester, Minn., August, 1907, among which this species was 
found. 
Journal of Agricultural Research, 
Washington, D. C. 
he 
(277) 
Vol. VIII, No. 7 
Feb. 12, 1917 
Key No. R— 50 
