THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



finished, she projects her body with the head just perceptible at the 

 entrance. After remaining in this position ovipositing for about two 

 hours, the body • is withdrawn and the earth raked with her feet into the 

 hole until it is entirely closed. These burrows are commonly made among 

 the roots of grass in a dry soil and a sunny spot, often on the margins of a 

 dry footpath. The female always deposits two and sometimes three or 

 four separate layings of eggs, at intervals of from two to three weeks. 

 The first is always the most abundant, amounting usually to three or four 

 thousand. After each deposit the abdomen seems to be almost entirely 

 emptied ; the insect then feeds voraciously, and fresh ova are soon 

 developed. 



The eggs when first deposited are about one-twentieth of an inch in 

 length, slightly conical, obtuse at both ends, and of a bright orange color. 

 They are placed in such a way that they may be parallel to each other, 

 and adhere together at their sides, with one end directed to the entrance 

 of the burrow. The duration of the egg stage is greatly influenced by 

 temperature, averaging from four to five weeks. 



From the egg there escapes a little active, agile creature, somewhat 

 resembling a pediculus in habits ; in fact, the larva of one Fi £- 49 - 



of the European species was described by so eminent an 

 Entomologist as Kirby, in 1802, as Pediculus melittm. This 

 young larva, a magnified illustration of which is given in 

 Fig. 49, * is of a bright yellow color, and of an elongated 

 form, with fourteen segments. The three segments which 

 constitute the trunk are strong and powerful, for the attach- 

 ment of the legs, which are furnished with sharp pointed 

 claws, especially adapted for clinging securely to any 

 object. The anal segment on its under surface is developed 

 into a pair of short prolegs. It moves with great celerity 

 with its six true legs ; it can also make use of its anal pro- 

 legs, and thus climb a nearly smooth and vertical surface. 



The young larvae of most insects, if food is not supplied to them 

 within a day or so of the time of their escaping from the egg, will die of 

 starvation, but these young creatures will live from two to three weeks 

 without food and maintain their activity, a wonderful adaptation to the 

 circumstances in which they are placed. When hatched they crawl to the 



* The small outline alongside shows this larva of the natural size. 



