April, '14] PADDOCK: OBSERVATION ON BEE-MOTH 1S5 



but moths which had not deposited eggs were killed and the eggs in 

 their ovaries counted. The average number of eggs counted was 1,014. 

 The time consumed in laying the full quota of eggs varies with the 

 generation, averaging nine days in the first and seven days in the 

 second. 



The Egg. The egg is elHptical, measuring about one fiftieth of 

 an inch (.48 mm.) in length. The shell is pearly white in color and 

 is slightly roughened by wavy lines running across it diagonally at 

 regular intervals. Unless deposited on dark comb the egg is very 

 difficult to see. The egg stage of the first brood averages twelve days 

 and of the second only ten days. 



The Larva. The larvae when first hatched are white in color and 

 one eighth of an inch (3 mm.) in length. Entrance into the comb is 

 completed ^vdthin two hours after hatching. This is made at the top 

 of the cells between the cell walls. This entrance is soon shaped into 

 a tunnel directed toward the center of the comb and is continued till 

 the midrib is reached. The larvae tunnel along the midrib, at first 

 making only passage ways. Very soon these are outlined with silk 

 threads which the larvae spin wherever they travel and shortly these 

 runways are densely covered. In a short time the center of the comb 

 is only a mass of webs and refuse. After the midrib is destroyed the 

 larvae eat the walls of the cells, working outward parallel to the midrib. 

 The cell walls are entirely eaten away but normally the tops of the 

 cells are not disturbed so that the form of the comb remains unchanged. 

 If the food supply is very short the larvae will work over the refuse 

 which contains considerable wax in small pieces. The length of the 

 larval period of the first brood is forty-five days and m the second 

 brood this period is shortened to thirty-five days. 



The cocoon may be spun at the end of the feeding gallery or in the 

 refuse but the most common place is about the hive body. Such 

 places are the corners, between the hive-wall and the ends of the frames^ 

 and in the "bee space" at the ends of the top bars. 



The Pupa. The change from the larva to the pupa takes place 

 durmg the night. When first formed the pupa is white in color but 

 this darkens with age so that the old pupa is a dark brown. The pup^e 

 average two thirds of an inch (14-16 mm.) in length. In the second 

 brood the total time from the starting of the cocoon to the emergence 

 of the moth is fourteen days. 



Life History. From the work which has been done in trying to 

 identify the generations of this insect, it appears that there are three 

 at College Station. The third is not nearly as large as the first two, 

 due to the fact that a portion of the second brood of larvae do not 

 pupate until late fall. There is a decided overlapping of generations. 



