214 THK CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



LIFE-HISTORY OF LYDA FASCIATA (NORTON), FAM. 



TENTHREDINID.L. 



BY RICHARD F. PEARSALL, BROOKLYN, N. V. 



Fall-grown larvae were taken on wild cherry (Prunus) in the latter 

 part of September, 1901. Placed in a box over earth, they fed but a day 

 or two, turned a deep green, and, entering the earth two to three inches, 

 formed rounded cells, in which they remained as larvae all winter, 

 transforming to pupa? just before emergence. They are gregarious, 

 remaining in their web, filled with its mass of exuvia, until full-grown, 

 when, as their growth is completed, individually they drop from it and 

 enter the ground. One which was kept under observation formed a pupa 

 on April 28th, and emerged eight days thereafter. The pupal skin is very 

 thin, showing distinctly the parts of the enclosed imago. This brood 

 commenced emerging April 25th, and a few individuals are still coming 

 out, May 31st. In the earlier days the males predominated, later the 

 females. Altogether, 134 males and 123 females have appeared. 

 Copulation took place at once, the pair remaining in coitu from three to 

 five hours. One female (the first observed) was furnished with a spray of 

 wild cherry, and on the night of the 13th of May deposited 76 eggs on the 

 under side of a leaf, extending from the tip half its length. They were laid 

 side by side, in rows of five to seven, from midrib to margin, and in little 

 slits cut in the epidermis uf the leaf, being attached by a gummy 

 secretion. 



Egg. — Size 1.5 x. 5 mm. Sordid white, glossy, and apparently 

 smooth, opaque. 



Hatched May 22nd, turning to a bright yellow the day before. The 

 young larva? do not eat the egg shells. 



First Stage. — Head round, shining, black at vertex, face and mouth- 

 parts paler, eyes black. Body dull orange, deeper along an enlarged 

 substigmatal wrinkled fold, which extends the entire length, giving the 

 body a flattened appearance. Thoracic feet and anal plates black. 

 Above the eyes are movable 3-jointed antennal-like processes, already 

 mentioned by Packard (5th Report U. S. Entom. Commission), his figure, 

 without doubt, referring to this species. Attached to the sides of the upper 

 anal plate are two similar processes, but apparently 5-jointed. The young 

 larva? immediately congregate and begin to spin a web, attaching another 

 leaf, if possible, to form their domicile, and attack the edges of the leaf, 

 consuming all parts of it. Length, .12. 



