163 



oviposit in the oothecac and destroy its eggs. One of the most 

 interesting of these is a SceUonid, Rielia manticida, KiefE., which 

 hatches about the middle of September in France just as the mantis 

 has completed its final ecdysis. The female attaches herself to the 

 mantis, sometimes as many as five parasites attacking a single 

 individual, on wliich they Uve for several months, only leaving their 

 host to oviposit and returning immediately afterwards. The host 

 oviposits during October and November in frothy masses that harden 

 on exposure to the air, the parasite passing to- the ootheca in process 

 of formation and probably then laying its own eggs in those of the 

 mantis. 



Metalnikoff (S.). Immunity de la Chenille contre divers Microbes. — 

 C. R. Soc. Biol., Paru; Ixxxiii, no. 5, 7th February 1920, pp. 119- 

 121. 



Many experiments have been made to determine the immunity 

 of insect larvae against various organisms that are highly pathogenic 

 to man and other animals. The species used was Galleria melonella 

 (bee moth), which breeds freely under laboratory conditions, is active 

 and resistant and can withstand high temperatures. Upon analysing 

 the results of these experiments, the microbes may be divided into 

 three groups according to their effects upon the larvae. The first 

 group, including the various agents of tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, 

 trypanosomiasis, etc., were found to have no effect at all uj^on the larvae, 

 even when administered in a quantity almost equal to the whole 

 blood content of the body. The destruction of the organisms is 

 generally complete within 24 hours, and is due to an active phago- 

 cytosis. The second group contains microbes against which the 

 larvae possess an incomplete immunity, and do not resist very strong 

 doses for as long as 24 hours ; with smaller doses however, they 

 recover rapidly. This group includes the organisms of virulent 

 plague. Staphylococcus, fowl cholera, anthrax, Asiatic cholera, typhus 

 abdominalis, etc. To the third group of bacilU the larvae offer no 

 resistance and die from even the smallest doses, generally within a 

 day. These organisms include Bacillus coli communis, B. pi/oc/jajicus, 

 B. prodigiosus, B. subtilis, B. proteus, etc. 



In comparing these tliree groups of microbes it is at once evident 

 that the Lepidopterous larvae possess an immunity to those organisms 

 that are most pathogenic to higher animals, while they are very 

 susceptible to the saprophytic or shghtly pathogenic organisms that 

 have been tested. It is hoped to elucidate tlie reason for tliis in the 

 near future. 



FiESSiNCER (N.). L'Immunisation antituberculeuse de la Mite 

 d'Abeille.— a. R. Soc. Biol., Pans, Ixxxiii. no. 6, 14th February 

 1920, pp. 147-148. 



The author's investigations into the immunity of Galleria melonella 

 (bee-moth) have confirmed the experiments recently recorded by 

 Metalnikoff [see preceding paper], and he has also recovered from 

 inoculated larvae a ferment that probably plays some part in their 

 anti-bacillary immunity. Experiments have been conducted to 

 determine whether the disappearance of the baciUi injected into the 



