The Hymenopterous Parasites of North American Butterflies (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1889 Excerpt: ...robust, above slightly convex, almost smooth, very closely squamoso-punctate; metanotum quite long, very punctate, nucha almost globose, no median carina, but strong, arcuate, lateral folds, spiracles Dot small, suboval, situate in the spiracular sulcus just behind the suture. Wings hyaline, subcostal cell broad, marginal vein delicate, longer than stigmal and a little shorter than postmarginal. Abdomen ovate, flat above, below slightly convex, sides rounded, a little shorter than thorax, considerably broader, joint 1 dark blue, not transverse but hidden in nucha. Coxae green, femora fuscous bronze, tibiae occasionally concolorous. Mesopleura delicately punctate. Male.--Differs from female in its thinner, more strongly pilose antennae, oblong abdomen, aureus above, head broader than thorax, green, femora and tibiae always yellow. Length, 3 to 4 mm. (After Thomson.) This insect is common to Europe and North America, and is the commonest parasite of Pieris rapae. It has also been reared from Eurymus philodice by Mr. Lyman, from Eurema lisa by Mr. Mundt, from Agraulis vanillae by Professor Riley, from Polygonia satyrus by Mr. W. H. Edwards, from Euvanessa antiopa by Mr. Ashmead, from Vanessa atalanta by Mr. Lyman, from V. cardui by Mr. Scudder, from Basilarchia archippus by Mr. Scudder, and has been caught ovipositing upon an Epargyreus tityrus larva by Professor Riley. Pteromalus vanessae Harris. PL 89, fig. 3. Dr. Harris' types of this species, I am informed by Mr. Henshaw, are not contained in the Harris collections at the Boston Society of Natural History, and as I know of no authentic description of the species, I am obliged to take it for granted, as Dr. Packard evidently did, that the Pteromalus commonly reared from Euvanessa antiopa and Polygonia inter...