30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 121 



3. Labrum barely extending beyond ocular lobes; point not drawn out, blunt 



appearance concinna Williston 



Labrum extending beyond ocular lobes, end portion drawn out into a taper- 

 ing point aurata Bellardi 



Genus Hermetia Latreille, 1804 



I have seen larvae or puparia of 4 of the 8 species listed by James 

 (pers. comm.) for this genus. One species, however, remains unnamed. 



Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus), 1758 



Figures 21, 65, 75, 79 



Descriptions. — Mature larva: length 14.5-21.5 mm, mean 18.6 

 mm; width 4.8-6.5 mm, mean 5.8 mm; head and body segments 

 reddish brown; spiracles present on lateral margin of segments 3-10, 

 accompanied by a small papUla on segments 2-5; anus not armed 

 with spines; no transverse series of short spines. 



Penultimate instar: length 19.0-25.5 mm, mean 18.6 mm; width 

 4.0-5.5 mm, mean 4.8 mm; body segments white to creamy yellow, 

 head and prothoracic spiracles almost black; anus armed with spines; 

 all abdominal segments with a transverse series of darkly pigmented 

 spines on venter near anterior margin. 



Biology. — Larvae of H. illucens are terrestrial scavengers. They 

 have been reported from beehives (Copello, 1926), decaying crabs 

 (Buxton and Hopkins, 1927), decaying fruits and vegetables, catsup, 

 animal cadavers, waste material in beehives, and from privies (James, 

 1947). May (1961) reported that large numbers of H. illucens, 

 living and dead larvae, pupae, and some dead adults, were found 

 in covered crocks containing tuna remains preserved in a solution of 

 10 percent formaldehyde. Fm-man, Young, and Catts (1959) have 

 shown that large numbers of larvae of H. illucens will prevent develop- 

 ment of larvae of the housefly Musca domestica (Linnaeus) in poultry 

 manure. 



A detailed life history has been presented by May (1961) in which 

 she reports on the time required for the egg, larval and pupal stadia, 

 number of instars, and the morphological changes associated with 

 each of the 6 larval instars. 



In North America this species appears to be limited to one genera- 

 tion per year with the adults emerging in the spring after a winter of 

 dormancy. Copello (1926) mentioned that mating takes place during 

 flight and later the females oviposit at the edge of decaying organic 

 material. 



Material examined. — Arkansas: FayetteviUe, Sept, 27, 1927, 

 W. J. Baerg, 3 larvae from kraut. California: 10 miles east of 



