Parasitism of the Wheat Stem Maggot in South Dakota

Six species of hymenopterous parasites of Meromyza americana Fitch were found in cereal crops in South Dakota during 1966 and 1967. Listed in the order of numerical importance, these were: Bracon meromyzae Gahan, Coelinidea ferruginea Gahan, C. meromyzae (Forbes), Bubekia fallax Gahan, Halticoptera patellana (Dalman), and Eupelmus allynii (French). The incidence of parasitism was higher in spring grains than winter grains. Rate of parasitism did not appear to he influenced by population density and location of hosts within fields or by varietal differences of spring wheat.