196 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS u- '22 



The average; duration of the first instar for 18 individuals was 8.06 

 days. It varied from 6 to 11 days. 



Second Instar. (Plate IX, D.) Color bright carmine red, the larvae 

 being conspicuous on the trees by their brilliant color. The color 

 pigment solid throughout the body and not broken into blotches. Head, 

 antennae, legs and last two abdominal segments clear glossy black. 

 Also two large black spots on the thorax and two rectangular black 

 markings reaching about half way around the center of the third seg- 

 ment from end of abdomen. The body, including legs and antennae, is 

 covered with a number of black hairs or spines. 



The larvae are not very active and when moving about often carry 

 the tip of the abdomen curled upward and forward in a characteristic 

 manner. The length of this instar varied from 6 to 13 days with an 

 average of 7.9 days. 



Third Instar. (Prepupa). Same clear red color as in preceding 

 stages, although the color pigment is somewhat broken into blotches, 

 particularly in head and thorax and near tip of abdomen. Head 

 whitish and almost colorless except for a few blotches of red color 

 in the center ; eyes small and red ; antennae short, stout and colorless. 

 Wing pads very short and colorless ; legs and last two abdominal seg- 

 ments also colorless. A few whitish hairs cover the body. 



The larvae in this stage are very inactive. The instar is of short 

 duration, lasting only 2 or 3 days, with an average of 2.4 days. 



Pupa. This stage is the same color as the preceding and appears 

 similar except for the length of the antennae and wing pads. The 

 antennae are now longer and folded back along the sides of the head. 

 Wing pads reach to the 4th or 5th abdominal segment. The eyes 

 appear somewhat larger and brown in color. 



The pupae are very quiescent and usually remain in, secluded places. 

 The stage lasts for 4 to 6 days with an average of 4.5 days. 



DISTRIBUTION AND HOST PLANTS. 



The natural host plants of this insect include all of the 

 bay trees of the genus Tanmla ( family Lauraceae). There is 

 in the State another entirely unrelated group of trees called 

 hays, belonging to the genus Magnolia of the family Mag- 

 noliaceae. These, of course, have no relation to tlie laurels 

 and are not concerned in this discussion. Although known to 

 occur only in Florida, it is probable that the bay thrips extends 

 over the entire range of its host plants which includes all of 

 the southeastern states.' All four species of T a mala have been 

 found infested. The writer has collected C. laurcli from three 

 of these bays and Watson reports finding it on the fourth, 



