The complete writings of Thomas Say on the entomology of North America (Biologists and their world)

General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1891 Original Publisher: A. E. Foote Subjects: Insects Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: This is often mistaken for the Hessian fly, in consequence of being found in wheat fields in vast numbers during the devastation committed there by that insect, and many have been deceived by the specious circumstance of its evolution from the pupa itself of the destroying larva, under their own observation. But the truth is the Ctraphron belongs to that vast tribe of insects included by Linnd under the Genus Ichneumon. True to the manners of its kind the parent deposits her eggs within the bodies of the larva of the Cecidomyia destructor, through a puncture made by her acute oviduct for the purpose ] the young, when disclosed from the egg, feeding securely within the body of the larva, at length kills it, but not in general until after its change into the pupa state. Protected by this indurated covering, the parasite undergoes ite change, and appears in the perfect state, about the latter part of June. It seems probable that this insect prevents the total loss of our wheat crops, by restraining the increase of the Cecidomyia within certain bounds. The Ichneumon Tipulte, of Mr. Kirby is congeneric with this, but is doubtless specifically distinct. [From vol. 2, 1821: pp. 11 -- 14.] Descriptions of the Thysononrse of the United States Read Not. 21lt, 1820. Genus MACHILIS Latr. Eyes compound, occupying almost all the head ; [12] abdomen beneath with an appendage for leaping: tail with three styles, of which one is above the others. M. Variabilis. -- Superior caudal process more than double the length of the others : false feet bisetous at tip : co...