| Summary: | As early as 1923, the attention of Mr. K. M. King
Was drawn to the occurrence in SasKatchewan of a hymenopterous
insect parasite of the family Encyrtidae,
Berecyntus bak.eri How. which was parasitizing noctuid
larvae. Because of the great number of adults developing
in a single host larva, it was thought that this parasite
developed polyembryonically.
A study of this insect was undertaken by the writer
in 1927 at the suggestion of Mr. King, Since it was one
of the major parasites of the red-backed cutworm (the
most important cutworm occurring in Saskatchewan). This
study was continued for three years, during which time
much information concerning the parasite was secured.
The data here presented indicate that Berecyntus
bakeri develops in a polyembryonic fashion, the stage in
which parasitism initially occurs being the host egg.
The various stages in its development are somewhat similar
to those described by Leiby for Copidosoma Gelechiae
How., but there are striking differences also exhibited,
not only with the former species but with other polyembryonic
species. Such are to be expected since the
development of only a few polyembryonic species have been
described and since each of these differs essentially
from any other.
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