Hyperalonia Oenomaus Rond., a Parasite of Tiphia LarvÆ (Dip., BombyliidÆ).*

Abstract

During the summer of 1925 at Shillong, India, field collections of cocoons of a large species of Tiphia parasitic upon the grubs of Anomala dimidiata Hope were observed to be heavily parasitized by a Bombyliid fly. A number of these were reared out and later forwarded to the National Museum for examination, and have been determined as Hyperalonia oenomaus Rond., by Dr. J. M. Aldrich. The overwintering cocoons of the 1925 generation of Tiphia were attacked to the extent of more than sixty per cent, and the effectiveness of this, scoliid upon its host was thereby greatly reduced. Little information is available in literature upon the biology of this group of flies, but inasmuch as several other species were present in small numbers in the cocoons of various species of Tiphia that were being imported for the control of the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Newm.) it was felt desirable to make a study of the more common Hyperalonia from the point of view of the relation of the habits of this family of parasitic flies to the methods of parasite breeding and importation at present in use.