24 Bulìetin de la Société Enloinolotjiqne il'Ei^ypte 



The length of lime occupied in the completion of the 

 OAisac averaged a week in midsummer and the egg% 

 first laid not infrequently hatched before the last 

 had been laid. The egg-stage lasted from six to nine 

 days. 



The young larvae that hatch out are very active 

 and immediately settle down in some nice tender spot 

 to feed. They are complete with legs, antennae and 

 sucking apparatus, the antennae at this stage being 

 of six joints. The larxae continue feeding and in 

 creasing in size until after having moulted twice the 

 adult stage is reached. The female at its present stage 

 however is probably not much more than t/3 of its 

 final size. If a male is available copulation now takes 

 place and in the cases I have observed the lengtiis 

 of the females have been between 1.3 mm. and 

 1.7 mm. Growth continues imtil such time as the 

 female has fully fed and is prepared to lay her eggs. 

 The feeding period i.e., that period from hatching to 

 egglaying, was found during the summer months to 

 be approximately four weeks giving a total of 5 weeks 

 for the whole cycle. 



Considerable variation occurs in the life cycle. 

 !i does not follow that two eggs laid on the same da\ 

 will complete the feeding period on the same day, 

 there may be as much as a week difference between 

 them and consequently there is considerable varia- 

 tion in the sizes of the adult females when they settle 

 down to form their ovisacs and in the number of 

 eggs laid. Considering their mobility it is difficult 

 to see why all the individuals on a plant should not 

 feed to approximately the same size. A number of 



