%\\t Canadian fUtomoloflfet 



Vol. XXXIII. LONDON, JULY, 1901. No. 7 



NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF ALSOPHILA POMETARIA, 



Peck. 



(Fall C anker iv or m.) 



EY W. E. HINDS, B. S., ENTOMOLOGICAL LABORATORY OF THE MASSA- 

 CHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, AMHERST, MASS. 



The eggs of this insect were found on a small branch of golden 

 willow in Beverly, Mass., March 14, 1900, in a nursery, close to fruit 

 stock of various kinds. The mass, consisting of 220 eggs, was kept at 

 the temperature of the laboratory, which was considerably higher than 

 that outside. Notwithstanding this fact, none of the eggs hatched till 

 April 23, within forty-eight hours of which time, however, all the larvae 

 had emerged. 



Egg (Plate 4, Figs. 1 and 3). — Eggs placed close together in regular 

 rows, forming a compact mass, in this case about twice as long as broad 

 and in one layer. Egg about .6 mm. long and .45 mm. broad at top, 

 which is nearly flat. Just inside the rounded edge of the top a brown 

 ring encloses an area bright steely gray in colour, and containing a small 

 brown depression in its centre ; lateral surface of egg and rounded edge 

 steely gray. Base of egg more rounded than top, and its diameter some- 

 what less, as the straight sides converge slightly toward the base, giving 

 to the whole a resemblance to an inverted truncate cone with rounded 

 basal edge. Eggs laid in an exposed position upon the tree, and quite 

 firmly cemented together ; placed in a somewhat slanting position 

 lengthwise of the twig, so that the edge of one is a little higher or lower 

 than the adjacent edge of the next in the row. 



Larva. — Emergence — When ready to emerge from the egg, the 

 tiny larva makes its first meal upon the relatively thinner portion of the 

 shell constituting the steely-gray area enclosed by the brown ring. 

 Through the opening thus made in the top of the egg, the young larva 

 gradually and laboriously works its way out. At this time the head is 

 the largest segment, the body tapering very slightly from it to the tip of 



