400 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 3 



surface is explored by the antennae in from five to eight backward and 

 forward movements in a remarkably short time. This procedure may 

 occur with but one scale before the ovipositor is inserted, and again, 

 two dozen or more may be gone over without finding a suitable scale 

 for oviposition. But the parasite does not rely alone on the exploration 

 with the antennae, for the ovipositor may be inserted many times 

 ^^^thout any eggs being deposited. Insertion with the ovipositor may 

 occur with the insect beneath in various conditions, and not infre- 

 quently it is dead and shriveled up. But exploration by the ovipositor 

 is the final reliance for the placing of the egg. 



A specific case will serve to illustrate the behavior during oviposition. 

 Parasite inserted ovipositor and laid egg in scale No. 1 occupying five 

 minutes. One insertion was made in each of three other scales occupy- 

 ing from 1 to 3 minutes each. No eggs deposited. In scale No. 5 

 ovipositor inserted 11 times and remaining in scale as follows: 1 min.; 

 3-4 min.; 1 min.; 1 3-4 min.; 1 min.; 1 min.; 1 1-4 min.; 1 min.; 

 3-4 min.; 1 1-2 min.; 6 3-4 min. Scale lifted and but one egg 

 deposited, this undoubtedly at last insertion. 



Eggs may be deposited under scales of various stages as follows: 

 Female between 1st and 2nd moult and between 2nd moult and egg 

 laying. Male after 1st moult, propupa and pupa. In no case has a 

 larva of the parasite been seen with a scale during the moulting period 

 or during the egg-laying period. The scale during these periods is 

 very different than at other times. The body wall is hard and glassy, 

 while the contents are more fluid and the insect adheres firmly to the 

 scale covering. Between the moults the body wall is flexible, is not so 

 distended by the body fluids, and the scale covering very readily 

 separates from the insect itself. This last point accounts for the readi- 

 ness with which the covering is lifted in many cases to allow the escape 

 of the parasite. 



In the June number of this Journal Dr. Howard^ has an interesting 

 article on the feeding habits of certain of these chalcid parasites. 

 Observations are recorded upon four species that feed at the puncture 

 holes made by the ovipositor. In the case of A. diaspidis only two 

 or three times has any indication of this habit been noticed and then 

 it was not certain that they either fed at the puncture hole or sealed it. 

 At any rate, this cannot be counted a common habit with this species, 

 for many hundreds of insertions have been observed during the past 

 three summers. Observations have been made, however, on this 

 species feeding on a droplet of honey dew, and also some evidence that 

 they feed on plant tissue. They have been observed many times 



1 On the Habit with certain Chalcidoidea of Feeding at the Puncture Holes made 

 by the Ovipositor. By L. O. Howard. 



