Sept.-Dec, ig-'i.J WeisS-DiCKERSON : MlI.KWEED IxSECTS. 127 



" Prothorax very tliick. about two times as wide as lonjj : pro- 

 tergum densely liairy on sides also across anterior border; pronotum 

 posteriorly finely velvety jiubescent ; prostcrnum densely hairy, lateral 

 areas swollen; eusternuni distinct, swollen; sternellum very narrow, 

 transverse. Mesonotum and metanotum densely hairy, niesonotum 

 with an anterior transverse band of hairs, ])osteriorly j^labrous. 



■"Abdomen very densely hairy; am])ull;c narrow, projecting in 

 large dull tuberculiform lobes; later zone slightly protuberant on all 

 .segments, tubercles elongate, oval, bearing very many hairs and no 

 chitinous pits; spiracles large, orbicular." 



The adult was described in 1771 ( Forst., Cent. Ins., p. 41) and 

 later mentioned in various lists and publications. Several other spe- 

 cies of Tctraopcs have been described, most of them being asso- 

 ciated with milkweeds. 



Rhyssematus lineaticollis Say (Coleop.). 



This species which is listed by Smith (Ins. N. J., p. 390) as 

 occurring in widely separated parts of the State is quite common 

 throughout New Jersey, appearing aliout the first week of June 

 and feeding at the bases of the young leaves of milkweed, especially 

 Asdcpias syriaca. It has long been known to breed in the seed 

 pods of milkweed. Webster (Ins. Life, II, p. 112), in his paper on 

 " Notes on Breeding and Other Habits of Some Species of Curcu- 

 lionidse, Especially of the Genus Tyloderma," states that it breeds 

 in the seed pods of A. iiicarnata, the larva feeding upon the seeds 

 and transforming to an adult in late autumn although these notes 

 may possibly refer to RItysscwotiis aiincctans Casey, a related species 

 which we have found breeding in the seed pods of Asclcpios pulchra 

 (incarnata ). He gives a very brief general description of the larva 

 and states that it is parasitized by a species of Bracoit. 



In addition to feeding on the young leaves early in the season, 

 later the beetles attack the leaf petioles, midribs of leaves, seed 

 pods and upper jiortions of the main stem. As a result the injured 

 ])arts bleed profusely and the milky juice hardens into unsightly yel- 

 lowish white streaks and blotches. In the central part of the State, 

 eggs are laid during the last half of July. They are deposited inside 

 the seed pod through an oi)ening cut l)y the adult and can be found 

 on the inner side of the seed pod wall, close to this opening. Many 



