PLANTS AND INSECTS 



115 



time, she scurries around the base of tlie stamens, as- 

 cends between two of tlie stamens until her head is 

 slightly beyond the anthers (Fig. 99), inserts her ovi- 

 positor (Fig. 98) into the ovary, there to place an egg. 



FIG. 99. Female Pronuba moth ovipositing on ovary of yucca Illy. Photo- 

 graphed by flashlight from life, in field, about 8:30 p. M. 



She withdraws the ovipositor in about a minute. She 

 retracts this interesting little tool by two or three jerky 

 motions. She now quickly ascends the pistil and thrusts 

 her uncoiled tentacles and proboscis into the stigmatic 

 opening, rubbing them against the stigmatic surface. 

 In doing this her head bobs up and down several times. 

 She returns to the base of the flower, to ascend between 



