December, ’24] 
CHAMBERLIN: ALFALFA WEEVIL PARASITES 
631 
coldest and highest sections in that region in which alfalfa can be grown. 
Spintherus sp. was found at Milazzo, Sicily, in 1913, and at Servoz, 
Lons-le-Saunier, and Champagnole, France, in 1922 and 1923. Milazzo 
has a warm climate. West of Milazzo along the north coast of Sicily 
much of the land is given to the cultivation of citrus fruits. Champagnole 
represents the highest and coldest section in that general locality in 
which alfalfa can be grown. It is at an altitude of about 1,800 feet. 
Servoz is in Higher Savoy, near Chamonix, at the foot of Mont Blanc, 
and has an altitude of about 2,700 feet. This also is about the highest 
and coldest section in which alfalfa is grown there. It should be re¬ 
membered in this connection that Spintherus sp. appears to be the dom¬ 
inant species in the cold country, though, as stated, Peridesmia phyto- 
nomi also occurs. 
Anaphoidea luna seems to be more restricted in range than either of 
the preceding, but is important on account of its work in dry stems. 
Both of the larval parasites Bathyplectes corvina and Tetrastichus 
incertus have a considerable range. Bathyplectes corvina was found 
practically wherever the alfalfa weevil occurred and seems to be the 
dominant species in some regions. Tetrastichus incertus was not found as 
commonly as Bathyplectes corvina , but it occurred in Switzerland out¬ 
side Zurich in 1913, at Piedimonte d’Alife, Italy, in 1922 and 1923, and 
near Montmelian in Savoy, France, in 1923. One of the most significant 
facts about T. incertus is the extent to which it parasitized the alfalfa 
weevil larvae in Piedimonte d’Alife, Italy, in 1922. This parasitism, 71.2 
per cent, exceeds that of any other insect parasite of the alfalfa weevil we 
have found in Europe and serves to show how important a seemingly in¬ 
conspicuous parasite may become when the proper conditions are 
present. 
Dibrachoides dynastes was found at Hyeres, at Tournon (near Valence 
in the Rhone Valley), and at Lons-le-Saunier, France, and at Naples, 
Italy. Lons-le-Saunier is near Champagnole but at a lower altitude. 
Necremnus leucarthros has been taken from the country near Naples, 
Italy, and from Tournon and the high regions about Chambery, France. 
Summary and Conclusions 
The alfalfa weevil is controlled to a large extent in Europe by cul¬ 
tural practices and climatic conditions, but wherever it occurs it is 
parasitized to a greater or less extent by insects. The parasites con¬ 
sidered most important during the two years spent by the writer in 
France were the egg parasites Peridesmia phytonomi, Spintherus sp., 
