99 



to be placed on the larger caterpillars of CryptopMehia and 

 Myelois, 



In captivity when placed with other caterpillars the Perisi- 

 erola will attack almost any others besides these. In this way 

 it was bred experimentally from Ephesfid eluteUa and Crocido- 

 sema lantanae and it oviposited npon larvae of Amorbia emi- 

 gratella and Ereunetis minuscula. The adults also mastered 

 yonng l^octnid larvae, the young- larva of Scotorythra vara and 

 Hymenia recurralis, -the larva of Archips postrittamis and of 

 Adenoneura 7mfipen7iis, and the gi'ubs of the Anthribid beetle 

 Araecenis fasciculatus and the Bruchid Caryohorus gonagra. 

 Upon all of these the adults fed. manipulating the larvae with 

 their mandibles and sucking their juices. If several odults 

 were placed with a small larva they did not oviposit but fed 

 upon them until they were sucked dry. 



One female placed with a half -grown larva of Cryptophle- 

 hia which had already been paralyzed on the evening of Mav 

 30 had by the next day laid eight eggs upon its dorsal surface 

 By June 3rd the larvae hatched from these had practically 

 consumed the caterpillar and had reached full growth. 



The larva of Pyroderces Rileyi was observed vigorously 

 attacking a Perisierola placed with it, using its mandibles to 

 bite the abdomen of the wasp. One bit a small Sderodennufi 

 placed with it so viciously as to stun it and several with which 

 some Sierola had been placed destroyed most of them in a 

 night- Several Perisierola placed with a mixed lot of cater- 

 pillars from klu pods were destroyed overnight and I have 

 repeatedly had the same thing happen with Sierola and Sclero- 

 dermus placed with other lepidopterous larvae. Lepidopterous 

 larvae do not submit tamely to the attacks of Bethylidao bur, 

 fight gamely if they have any opportunity. 



The Bethylids are cautious in attack and it is probable they 

 frequently attack during the quiescent period at the moults of the 

 caterpillars and thus avoid danger of injury. One female was 

 observed attacking the slender larva of Ereunetis. After in- 

 vestigating the head and biting at it and possibly stinging, she 



