280 



Kansas Academy of Science. 



deeply considered as affording several chances in different 

 places whereby some if not all of the larvae composing an issue 

 may succeed in overtaking the prey. This feature might 

 serve to prime advantage, particularly during a time of food 

 scarcity, by saving an issue from utter failure, which would 

 more likely be the case if the entire number of larvae issued 

 forth all together in one place rather than in small groups at 

 separate places. For if one spot should be destitute of prey, 

 another might happen to be propitious. Without the support 

 of positive evidence concerning the larval relations in nature, 

 any discussions on this line must necessarily be very incom- 

 plete, but the following remarks are introduced as a summary 

 of conclusions. 



At the time a young larva ventures upon the active course of 

 its life it is still a frail creature. Its strength is hardly yet suf- 

 ficient to enable it to wander far in search of food or to with- 

 stand much hardship. On account of its own weakness and 

 the hazardous conditions to be faced in nature, its chances of 

 passing not only the most critical period of its life when it 

 starts out into activity, but of its entire course, cannot always 

 be promising. Furthermore, it is liable to suffer from competi- 

 tion vvn'th its fellows at the start, but only in a limited degree, 

 since the primary demands are slight. With gain and growth 

 in strength, gradual separation of individuals occurs, and with- 

 out doubt lessens the danger of competition, which may eventu- 

 ally be reduced to insignificance or be entirely eliminated by ex- 

 tensive scattering of the older larvae. 



The time of development from a freshly laid egg to the ma- 

 turity of an adult ranged from 16 to 20 days, in periods as fol- 

 lows : for hatching of egg, 2 to 3 days ; for growth of larva, 10 

 to 12 days ; and for pupation, 4 to 5 days. The particulars of 

 the nearest complete records of development are shown by the 

 following two cases : 



The number of green bugs consumed by 1 he ladyjaird larvae 

 during their period of growth wa i determined by actual count. 



