182 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 5 



culties seemed to lie in maintaining proper moisture conditions, for 

 a slight fluctuation towards humidity caused the development of 

 mold upon the pupa or larva, as the case might be, and if the galls 

 became too dry the insect within perished. 



The body of the female, upon emergence, is very heavy and slug- 

 gish. Those specimens which the writer has observed were scarcely 

 able to fly, and this fact is a very important feature in connection 

 with the spread of the pest. The males were lighter, more active and 

 fly at wiir. 



The Egg. The egg, as stated previously, is deposited within a few 

 hours after the adult leaves the gall. Females emerging during the 

 night were ovipositing freely the next morning. 



In appearance the egg is very narrowly elliptical, light red in color 

 and is about .4 mm. in length. Those observed by the writer in the 

 open were deposited singly or in clusters in the new growth coming 

 from the old galls, this being the only place where he was successful in 

 observing them. A very careful search was made for eggs at the 

 bases of healthy leaves, with the hope of obtaining some light upon 

 the manner in which the gall was formed. 



The Larva. The newly hatched larva is shown in figure 4. The 

 full grown larva measures about 2 mm. in length As one would 

 expect of members of this family, the body is divided into fourteen 

 segments, but differing from most Cecidomyiids the "breast bone" 

 like organ cannot be detected. The median body segments are much 

 longer than those at either end, the head is small, somewhat triangular 

 and is capable of being retracted within the body segments when the 

 larva is disturbed. There are nine pairs of spiracles. On the first 

 thoracic segment, slightly caudad, and on each side of the head is a 

 brown nodule or button which is about the size of the spiracles and 

 has much the appearance of them. That these organs are not spiracles 

 was proven beyond doubt by mounting a specimen directly in balsam, 

 thus showing the details of the tracheal system. No trachae extended 

 from these structures. 



The color of the larva is slightly faded salmon, with the head light 

 brown. During the winter and early spring one finds them snugly 

 encased within the protecting, enlarged bud. If the insect is dis- 

 sected out at this time, it will be found in the curled up position as- 

 sumed by the larvae of Lachnosterna sp. w^hen disturbed, with the 

 head against the base of its cell, apparently in a feeding position. 

 Immediately surrounding the body of the larva are green, living bud 

 scales, usually of three scales thickness and surrounding these is a 

 wall of dead bud scales six or seven scales in thickness. The bud 



