. Bug vs. bug: nature's method of controlling injurious species. Insects; Beneficial insects; Insect pests. BUG VS. BUG. /06 25. ^ A FIG. 15. Masicera pachytyli. parasite of the locust. of Los Angeles, where he collected a large number of the beetles, and found that fully one third were parasitized. He found them in the larval state in the beetles as early as May and as late as the middle of October. The May brood pupate early in June and remain in this con- dition about two weeks, when they change to the winged form. They are numerous in July and August. Masieera paehytyli, Sk. (Fig. 15.
. Bug vs. bug: nature's method of controlling injurious species. Insects; Beneficial insects; Insect pests. BUG VS. BUG. /06 25. ^ A FIG. 15. Masicera pachytyli. parasite of the locust. of Los Angeles, where he collected a large number of the beetles, and found that fully one third were parasitized. He found them in the larval state in the beetles as early as May and as late as the middle of October. The May brood pupate early in June and remain in this con- dition about two weeks, when they change to the winged form. They are numerous in July and August. Masieera paehytyli, Sk. (Fig. 15.) This is one of the Tachnid flies, the whole of which family are parasitic on other insects. They are of medium size generally, and to a casual observer resemble our common house flies. The favorite food of the greater part of the members of the family are the caterpillars. The female lays her eggs on the soft bodies of the caterpil- lars and the young grubs de- vour their host, which never attains its mature state. It is to this family "that the re- duction of moths and butter- flies below the danger limit is due. The one of which we give an illustration in Pig. 15 is parasitic on the locust, and unquestionably does much toward keeping this terrible pest in check in Australia, where it is native. This is one of the intro- duced species and has been established in our State. Mr. A. H. Bray gives his observations on this insect, as follows: The grub, or larva, is found within the locust, where it appears to live upon the adipose tissues of the victim, avoiding the vital parts with unfailing instinct. The grub lives indifferently in the thoracic region or the abdomen of the locust, and frequently three or four may be found in a single grasshopper. The grubs leave their victims when they are full grown, usually by means of an opening which they eat in the side of the locust at the point where the abdomen joins the metathorax ; but they do not invariably make their exit from
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectinsects, bookyear1906
