Feb. lo, 1919 



Life History of Parasites of Bruchophagus funebris 1 67 



Table L.— Dates of emergence of adults of Liodontomerus perplexus which developed from 

 larvae spending the uinier in hibernation 



March 1-15 

 March 16-31 

 April 1-15 

 April 16-30 

 May 1-1$ 

 May 16-31 

 June 1-15 

 June 16-30 

 July i-is 

 July 16-31 

 August I-] 

 August 16-31 

 September 1-15 



Percentage 



OVIPOSITION 



The adult female locates the green and tender seed pods of alfalfa in 

 which seeds are infested by lar\-se of Bruchophagus funebris, inserts the 

 ovipositor through the seed pod, and deposits an egg upon or near the 

 host larva within the green seed. 



I..\RV.\ 



Development.— The different larval instars were not studied by the 

 writer through lack of time for this particular subject. Field and lab- 

 oratory observations, however, showed that the larvae develop very 

 rapidly upon their host and under favorable conditions require from 

 8 to 12 days to make their growth. They do not always transform to the 

 pupa stage as soon as they become full grown. 



Dormant period.— After the larva of Liodontomerus perplexus has 

 become fully developed upon its host within the alfalfa seed it may at 

 once enter the pupa stage, but if the seed is exposed to dry climatic con- 

 ditions a dormant period in the larva stage frequently follows. This 

 dormant period may begin at almost any time throughout the summer 

 and continue right on into hibernation. Transformation to the pupa 

 stage is then delayed until the following spring. In the laboratory a 

 few larvae that became dormant in the summer continued so throughout 

 the following winter and through the next summer, and hibernated 

 again the second winter before transforming to the pupa. A hibematmg 

 larva was taken from the field on December 18, 1913- It remained m 

 the larva stage until March, 191 5, then transformed to a pupa, and 

 emerged as an adult on April 19. 1915- This particular habit is undoubt- 

 edly of great value to the species and enables it to be carried over the 

 long continued dry seasons of the desert sections of the Southwest. 

 98354°— 19 2 



