Feb. '08] JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 31 



ment of these eggs. This figure seems unreasonably high and I think 

 it accounted for by the fact that I failed to provide the nest with 

 sufficient moisture to make the conditions for incubation entirely 

 favorable. 



The Larva. — The larva when first hatched is hardly larger than the 

 tgg, and for some time after hatching remains curved, with the head 

 and anal end practically together, so that the very young larva and 

 eggs cannot be distinguished from each other without the aid of a 

 good glass. 



The larva is pure white, but with a dark color sometimes appearing 

 in the abdominal region, as if it had been fed with some black or dark- 

 colored food. When fully grown the larvae average 1.7 mm. long by 

 .66 mm. wide. 



LarvaB which were hatched from the eggs on Nov. 15, 1907, and 

 which have been kept in a nest in my office, at ordinary living room 

 temperature, now (Jan. 2, 1908) look to be fully grown and ready 

 to pupate. 



The Pupa. — The pupa in its earlier stage is pure white, without 

 markings, except the compound eyes, which are jet-black and very 

 prominent. As time for transformation approaches the pupa assumes 

 a light brownish color, which gradually becomes a medium brown. So 

 far as I can see there is no cocoon, or anything resembling it, sur- 

 rounding the pupa, although the pupal skin, very thin and verj^ 

 fragile, is shed when the transformation to imago takes place. These 

 pupal skins are carried out of the nest by the attendant workers. The 

 color of the pupa in its final stage and that of the worker just trans- 

 formed are practically identical, the latter requiring from two to five 

 days after transformation to attain the deep brown color of the fully 

 matured worker. 



I have not secured any direct data upon the duration of the pupal 

 stage, but from general observations my impression is that about three 

 weeks' time, at an average temperature of 72° F. are required. 



Habits. — Reference has already been made to the feeding habits of 

 this ant, as well as to its relations with certain Coccidse and Aphid- 

 idse. The colonies or nests are established in a great variety of 

 places. We have found them in swampy ground where the earth was 

 so wet that water would drip from it when squeezed in the hand. On 

 the other hand I have found their nests between the walls of dwellings, 

 where no moisture could reach them except such as was contained in 

 the air. Nests have been found within hollow trees, beneath the rough 

 bark of growing trees, in forks of trees, in rubbish and compost heaps, 

 in decaying timbers, beneath boxes and boards, inside of brick founda- 

 tions where accidental crevices occurred, in stored household goods. 



