. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture. THE DESEET COEN FLEA-BEETLE. 17 possible that it is occasionally picked up by birds, yet no definite observations have ever been made upon this, and the Bureau of Biological Survey has no records bearing upon this species, though related species have been found to be taken as food by certain birds. PREDACIOUS ENEMIES. The larvse of this beetle are without doubt fed upon by several subterranean larvag of ground beetles which have been found to inhabit the soil in the vicinity of corn" plants. The adults are preyed upon by the n
. Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture. THE DESEET COEN FLEA-BEETLE. 17 possible that it is occasionally picked up by birds, yet no definite observations have ever been made upon this, and the Bureau of Biological Survey has no records bearing upon this species, though related species have been found to be taken as food by certain birds. PREDACIOUS ENEMIES. The larvse of this beetle are without doubt fed upon by several subterranean larvag of ground beetles which have been found to inhabit the soil in the vicinity of corn" plants. The adults are preyed upon by the nymphs and adults of Reduviolus ferus L. Mr. Wilson first took specimens of these nymphs, which be found feeding upon Chaetocnema adults, at Tempe, Ariz., and reared them to maturity, and then fomid that both adults and nymphs were feeding upon the flea- beetles. It is quite likely that other reduviids also attack this species. At Holtville, Cal., the writer found a great many beetles with their bodies almost covered by a species of mite. Upon being sent to Washington these mites were determined by Mr. Nathan Banks as Pedicu- loidessp. They have since been found quite frequently upon adult flea-beetles. PARASITIC ENEMIES. During his observations in 1915,^ the writer discov- ered that a small parasitic wasp, Neurepyris (fig. 7), was pre}'ing upon the arvse and prepupae of this flea-beetle. Six specimens taken m the soil, already within the pupal cases, were each found to have very small, insignificant external larvse feeding upon them, the larvae being attached to the ventral side just back of the hind pan- of legs. These were carefully placed in small vials, and subsequently several of the parasites died, while one specimen pupated and finally changed to an adult, the hymenopterous larvse in the meantime having completely consumed the beetle larvse. The adult of this parasite is very small, black, with yellow legs, and its pupal case, which is about the size of a Chaetocnem
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