130 THE GYPSY MOTH APPENDIX. 



sixth segments inclusive, this latter row being equidistant between 

 the ventral row and the conuexivum ; there is a large black dot 

 at the tip of the osteolar canal and a smaller one on the pleurae 

 above each of the coxae. Legs rufous ; femora with two or three 

 black clots near apex. Ventral spine ivory white, reaching upon 

 the hind coxae. 



Distribution. Maine, Massachusetts, New York,* New 

 Jersey,f Minnesota, Colorado. 



Habits. 



Perhaps on account of its obscure coloring and active 



flight this species may be better protected from bird enemies 



than its congeners. Be that as it may, serieventris in this 



region is by far the most common representative of the 



genus. Hibernating as imagoes, the insects appear early in 



the spring, sometimes in April, and by the latter part of 



May an inspection of the webs of the tent caterpillar will 



show numbers of these bugs breaking their winter's fast 



upon the inmates of these webs. After a week or more 



spent in feeding, mating occurs, } and in a few days the 



female deposits her eggs in two or three clusters on the un- 



der-sides of leaves or on small branches. From fifty to 



sixty caldron-shaped eggs are laid by each female, and in 



about eight or ten days' time the gaily colored nymphs emerge 



from the egg-shells and commence feeding on the sap of 



leaves. If weather conditions are favorable, the first molt 



takes place in four or five days, and the nymphs wander 



forth in search of insects. These tiny creatures, not over 



4 mm. in length, will destroy caterpillars many times larger 



than themselves. The second molting occurs about ten days 



after the first, and the third about six days later than the 



second. The red and black nymphs feed almost continually 



during this stage, and boldly attack the largest larvae. From 



twelve to seventeen days elapse before the last molt. By 



midsummer the eggs for a second brood are laid, the imagoes 



of which appear in August and September. In 1895 the 



data concerning the times at which the imagoes and nymphs 



* In Dr. Lintner's collection. 



f Specimens from Prof. J. B. Smith. 



J These insects frequently mate in the fall (" The Gypsy Moth," p. 403). 



