266 



JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 



[Vol. 10 



The Pupa 



The larva discharges its meconium into one end of the host's shell 

 as soon as full-fed and moults for the last time. The pupa is trans- 

 parent at first, but soon the eyes become pigmented 

 and gradually the entire stage takes on a darker 

 appearance. Emergence is effected by the cutting 

 away of one end of the shell, after which the adult 

 issues, dries itself and is ready for oviposition. 



The entire life-history of this parasite requires from 

 25 to 45 days, depending upon the temperature. 



Sexes and Parthenogenesis 

 The two sexes are about equally divided as to 

 numbers, although the females are slightly in excess. 

 While copulation takes place freely, this parasite, in 

 common with most if not all Encyrtids, can repro- 

 duce parthenogenetically. In this case the progeny 

 are males only. 



Fig. 13. 

 lepiomastix, 

 (Original.) 



Para- 

 pupa. 



Hosts 



The principal host is the common mealy-bug Pseudococcus citri 

 (Risso). While it occasionally will deposit eggs in the related species, 

 Pseudococcus bakeri, I have never succeeded in rearing it on that host, 

 the young parasites probably being destroyed by phagocytosis. Mr. 

 O. H. Swezey of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Station informs me that 

 he has succeeded in getting it to breed upon the Sugar-cane Mealy-bug 

 Pseudococcus sacchari, but it does not thrive greatly on that species. 



Method of Rearing for Life-History Study 

 The most convenient way of rearing this and other parasites of 

 Pseudococcus citri in the laboratory for life-history work has been found 

 to be the use of infested green lemons. These are placed in a cage 

 composed of a plaster of Paris base, into which is embedded a coil of 

 wire which forms a support for the lemon. Over the lemon is placed 

 a glass cylinder or chimney with a gauze or tissue paper top which 

 permits of ventilation. A sufficient amount of moisture is usually 

 supplied by the evaporation from the lemon. If the lemon tends to 

 diy up, moisture may be added by placing the plaster base in a basin 

 of water. 



Rearing for Orchard Colonization 

 For orchard colonization it is of course desirable to rear these para- 

 sites in large numbers and this has been successfully accomplished by 

 the use of both lemons and potato sprouts. For the latter method 

 trays three inches deep and about sixteen inches square are filled with 



