188 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 10 



study of certain little known insects. It is very important to deter- 

 mine these matters. In North Carolina we are attempting to make an 

 insect survey and are preparing a tabulated list of the insects of the 

 state. We have considerable information on hand and would be glad 

 to furnish data that would be of interest to others. I mention this 

 now so that any of the members may take advantage of the opportunity 

 if they so desire. 



Peesident C. Gordon Hewitt: I am sure the members will wel- 

 come the spirit shown by North Carolina. I will now call for Mr. 

 Zappe to read his paper. 



EGG-LAYING HABITS OF DIPRION SIMILE HARTIGi 



By M. P. Zappe, New Haven, Conn. 



This European sawfly was first found in Connecticut during the 

 annual nursery inspection in August, 1914. At that time we found 

 many nearly full grown larvae and a few cocoons. During the summer 

 of 1915 some observations were made on its life-history, but the facili- 

 ties for carrying on this line of work were not very good. The following 

 spring (1916) an outdoor insectary was built in which were planted 

 several species of pine to be used as host plants. . 



OVIPOSITION 



As soon as the female sawflies emerge from the cocoons in cages, they 

 begin to run aimlessly about, going all over the pine twigs. This 

 continues for an indefinite period of time, usually about twenty-four 

 hours; then they begin to deposit eggs. When the female is ready to 

 oviposit, she places herself on the pine leaf or needle facing the tip. 

 She grasps the needle securely with her tarsi, the hind legs extending 

 a little beyond the end of her abdomen. The ovipositor is then inserted 

 in the edge of the needle, and she begins to saw a slit in it, working 

 from the base toward the tip. When the incision is about one tenth 

 of an inch long, she rests for a few seconds and then lays the egg in the 

 slit, gradually drawing the ovipositor backward and out of the needle. 

 This leaves a ridge of resin and sawed pulp from the leaf as a covering 

 for the egg. The sawfly then moves forward and inserts the oviposi- 

 tor immediately in front of the egg just laid and begins to saw a place 

 for another egg. The time required to lay a single egg is about four 

 minutes in Pinus excelsa and about five minutes in Pinus densiflora. 



1 Jour. Econ. Ent., vol. VIII, p. 379, June, 1915; vol. IX, p. 281, April, 1916. 



