432 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol 5 



active search for the eggs of their host and within a few minutes after 

 being placed with eggs began feeding a,nd ovipositing in them. 



The process of feeding is best described by the field notes as follows: 

 The insect began a careful search over the asparagus, moving around 

 very slowlj^ with the antennae held down in front of the head, but in 

 constant vibration. In a short time the female discovered an egg and 

 examined the surface all over with her antennae. Then she climbed up 

 on the €gg until her head and thorax were above the top of it. The ovi- 

 positor was then exserted, from the underside of the abdomen, almost 

 at right angles to the body. She then began an upward and downward 

 movement of the abdomen and speedily forced the ovipositor into the 

 egg. This was alternately'' thrust in to its full length and Avithdra^vn 

 for fully three minutes. During all of this time the antennae were 

 dropped in front of the head and held motionless. The female then 

 withdrew her ovipositor and climbed doAvn from the egg. She then 

 placed her mouthparts to the tiny hole and sucked up all of the exud- 

 ing egg contents. After this she climbed upon the egg again and after 

 inserting the ovipositor drilled for eight minutes, after which she sud- 

 denly left the egg and went in search of another. When feeding began 

 she always raised the antennae to the horizontal, but kept them in 

 constant vibration. 



A number of adults that were observed in the field and in the labora- 

 tory were found to occupy from 1 1-2 minutes to 23 1-2 minutes in 

 puncturing and feeding on a single host egg. Thirteen females that 

 lived an average of 7.8 days, during their life time destroyed by 

 feeding, 260 eggs of the asparagus beetle or an average of 20 each at 

 the average rate of 2.5 per day. The largest number of eggs destroyed 

 by a single female was 61 and the largest number destroyed in a single 

 day was 12. 



The process of oviposition was as follows: The female slowly crawled 

 over the plants with the antennae held forward and bent down, but in 

 constant motion, carefully examining each object that she encountered. 

 When she found an egg of the host, she carefully examined it with the 

 antennae and if satisfied climbed up on one side of the egg and lowered 

 the abdomen a trifle. Then the ovipositor was exserted and thrust 

 into the egg. There it was held for a short interval and then with- 

 drawn — quite in contrast with the feeding habits, as the ovipositor 

 was not worked up and down in the egg at all. Immediately the female 

 left the egg and continued her search for more and when these were 

 found she either continued oviposition, or began feeding again. 



So far as this investigation has gone, reproduction has been observed 

 by the asexual method entirely, as in two successive generations no 

 males have been reared. Females confined in separate vials as soon 



