The Frit, Fly. Oscinis vastator. Curtis.

Fig. V.

12 and 13, Oscinis vastator, nat. size and mag.; 8 and 7, larvæ, nat. length and mag.; 10 and 11, pupæ, length and mag.; 6, 5, and 9, larvæ; in stem of corn plant.

This is another small fly, of the family Oscinides, as defined by Westwood, which works in a somewhat similar manner to the Cephus pygmæus. Curtis gives it the designation Vastator because of its serious injuries, and he considered it a far worse enemy to cereal crops than the Cephus or the Chlorops tæniopus. He says that the ten or twelve stalks of corn he opened were filled only with powder at the base, every portion of the young ear being consumed; the destruction was complete.

The larvæ of this fly burrow within the stems of cereal plants and live upon their parenchyma or internal tissues, and utterly prevent the development of the ears.

Serious injuries are often occasioned by this insect in America, France, Germany, and Sweden.

Specimens of wheat plants were sent me from Worcestershire in 1883 in the first week in June, in which it was seen that the inner leaves or blades were yellow or light brown, and were manifestly dying. The farmer who sent these reported that many of the plants in the field from which these were taken were similarly affected. Upon searching a tiny yellowish maggot was discovered at the lower part of the stem, as shown by Nos. 5 and 9. The blades were yellow or brownish at the tips and could be easily pulled away from the stem. It was clear that in a short time the whole of the stem would have been rendered unfruitful page 21 and useless. Other affected plants were sent later on, in which the larvae of the Oscinis had completely destroyed the nascent ear, and had left nothing within the stems but a little dust.