TACHINA FLY.

From descriptions which I have received, I feel certain that there is a two-winged fly, probably of the genus Tachina ([Fig, 110]), that works on bees. I have never seen these, though I have repeatedly requested those who have, to send them to me. My friend, Mr. J. L. Davis, put some sick looking bees into a cage, and hatched the flies which he told me looked not unlike a small house fly. It is the habit of these flies, which belong to the same family as our house flies, which they much resemble, to lay their eggs on other insects. Their young, upon hatching, burrow into the insect that is being victimized, and grow by eating it. It would be difficult to cope with this evil, should it become of great magnitude. We may well hope that this habit of eating bees is an exceptional one with it.