Feb., '05] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 45 



lengthwise on top of the egg of the bee. The larva of the 

 parasite may emerge earlier or a trifle later than the bee larva, 

 but in either case it proceeds to suck the contents of the egg or 

 of the young larva of the bee, mostly securing a hold on the 

 anterior part. Within a short time a shrivelling of the egg or 

 larva may be observed, and at the end of about 24 hours the 

 anterior portion has been emptied of its contents. Thereupon 

 the parasite turns around, and empties the remaining portion, 

 so that at the expiration of 2 days on the average only the dry 

 remains of the egg or larva of the bee are visible. The para- 

 sitic larva now takes up a position on the bee-bread and feeds 

 on this for the next 3 or 4 days as eagerly as if it were a bee 

 larva. It thereby increases considerably in size, and then 

 forces its way through the partition into a neighboring cell, 

 sooner or later killing and eating up the bee larva of this cell. 

 It usually invades a third cell, also destroying the resident of 

 the latter, and sometimes even a fourth cell is entered with the 

 same result. At the age of 13 or 14 days the parasitic larva is 

 full grown, measuring from 12 to 14 mm. in length, and it 

 then begins to spin a cocoon. At first the pith particles, 

 remains of destroyed bee larvae, pieces of bee-bread, etc., are 

 cleared out of the way for a length of 3 or 4 cm. so as to make 

 room for the future cocoon, This having been done, a solid, 

 hard partition is spun at the upper end of the canal, and one 

 placed at the lower end. These are very resistent, and protect 

 the larvae from attacks coming from above or below. The 

 chamber between these two plug-like partitions is furnished 

 with a lining of a thin white membrane, the larva finally 

 deposits its excreta at the lower end of the chamber, and lives 

 throughout the winter as a "resting larva." In the spring 

 pupation takes place, and the mature insect comes out in time 

 to deposit its eggs in the nests of Ceratina dtipla. 



From the larvae kept in a heated room throughout the winter 

 5 $ and 6 9 specimens of Grotca aiigidna were obtained, the 

 earliest one, a $ , emerging on March gth, and the latest one, 

 a 9 , on May 23rd. These insects appeared for good reasons 

 earlier than those hibernating under natural conditions. 



As a rule the egg of this parasite is deposited in the lowest 



