REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST IQI7 107 
1908 Felt, E.P. N. Y. State Mus. Bul. 124, p. 393 
1909 ——————_ Ent. Soc. Ont. 39th Rep’t, p. 43 
1909 Herrick, G. W. Ent. News, 20:116-18 
1909 Trehern, R.C. Ent. Soc. Ont. 39th Rep’t, p. 47-49 
1910 Dean, W.H. Econ. Ent. Jour., 3:205-7 
I910 ——————_ U.S. Dept. Agric., Bur. Ent. Bul. 85, pt 4, p. 39-58 
1913 Newell, Wilmon & Barber, T. C. U.S. Dept. Agric., Bur. Ent. Bul. 
(22, p.69-71 (Iridomyrmex humilis preying on) 
This species was first observed in the south in October 1895, 
specimens of infested heads of Sorghum vulgare from Dill- 
burg and Montgomery, Ala., being then received at the Bureau of 
Entomology. This insect appears to be widely distributed in the 
south at the present time, having been recorded from North Caro- 
lina, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Indian 
Territory, Missouri and Kansas. This midge prevents, in the 
majority of cases, the maturing of a profitable seed crop in the 
estimation of W. H. Dean, who has made a special investigation of 
the pest. The adult may be recognized by its orange-red abdomen, 
in connection with the fifth antennal segment having the basal 
portion of the stem with a length one-half greater than its diameter 
and the broadly and triangularly emarginate dorsal plate. 
This insect, it has been found, subsists, in addition to the many 
varieties of sweet sorghum, upon broom corn, kafir corn, Johnson 
grass and Milo miaze. Mr Dean reared one adult from fox-tail 
grass, Setaria glauca, and Mr Ainslie obtained it from 
another grass, Sieglingia Heche troides. 
Life history. The midges appear in early spring, breeding at first 
in Johnson grass, and by the time sorghum has headed, the midge 
has become sufficiently abundant to produce a serious infestation. 
The eggs are deposited by the parent midge within the floret and 
usually near the apex of the ovary. Infested heads of sorghum have 
a characteristic flattened appearance, the ovary being blackened 
and shriveled. The life of the midge in confinement is stated to 
be approximately 24 hours, though females, if allowed to oviposit, 
may live about 48 hours. From a dozen to upwards of 100 eggs 
were found upon dissection. Breeding may continue throughout the 
season as long as there are any heads in which to oviposit. The 
insect hibernates as a larva within a delicate, muddy brown envelop 
somewhat like the “‘ flax seed” of the Hessian fly. The activities 
of this insect, like the Hessian fly, Mayet iola destructor 
Say, are evidently closely correlated with the condition of vegetation, 
breeding continuing so long as a suitable food supply exists. The 
life cycle may be completed in from 14 to 20 days. 
