BEHAVIOR OF SPIDERS AND OTHER INSECTS 407 



Stauder (97) asserts that the caterpillars of the cabbage 

 butterfly (Pieris raphae) survives the winter in the southern 

 part of its territory. 



Benard (6) noticed a line of beetles (Akis bacarozzo Schrk.) 

 approach the dead embers of a former fire. Each selected an 

 ember of its own shape and color and, after folding its legs and 

 antennae against its body, clung closely to the bit of wood. 



Roentgen rays. — Morgan and Runner (77) aver that neither the 

 " hard " nor the " soft ' Roentgen rays have any effect upon 

 the cigarette beetle in any stage of its existence. 



Acrobatic stunts. — This year three investigators, Benard, 

 Turner and Wells, have described acrobatic stunts by insects. 

 Benard (7) noticed a number of male beetles (P achy pus canidae 

 Rt.) suspended by their hind legs from blades of grass. In 

 Hocking Co., Ohio, Wells (119) noticed flies of two different 

 genera {Microcerata and Bremia) hanging, suspended by their 

 hind legs, from a spider's web. Occasionally a fly would leave 

 the web, fly about and then return and resume the suspended 

 attitude. Turner (105) describes broad jumping by the common 

 roach. 



Speech. — Green (51) describes the humming of some midges 

 {Chironimidae) and Regan (88) discusses the stridulation of a 

 cricket (Gryllus campestris). 



Homing. — In studying the habits of mining bees, Nichols (79) 

 found that some bees flew directly to the nest and that others 

 had much trouble in finding it; some were disturbed by the 

 presence of the investigator and others were not. 



By altering the environment in the immediate vicinity of the 

 nest of certain wasps (Sceliphron caementarius) , Phil and Nellie 

 Rau (87) were able to " confuse " the home-coming wasps. 



Letisimulation. — Weiss (118b) describes the death feigning of 

 the rice weevil (Calandra oryzae) ; Girault (49) finds that the skin 

 beetle (Trox) letisimulates as soon as touched and that it re- 

 mains rigid and still; and Newell (78) states that the rice 

 weevil (Lissorhoptus simplex Say) frequently letisimulates. 



MEMORY AND ASSOCIATION 



Hartman (55) noticed that a certain potter wasp required 

 twenty loads of mud to construct its nest. Each time it returned 

 to the same clod for its load. 



