﻿LARVAL AND PUPAL STAGES IN SOME OF THE SESIID^. \) 



segmental spots greyish-white or pale ochraceous ; legs blackish, 

 strongly annulated with greyish -white, apices of the posterior femora 

 greyish-white ; head with the anteocular area shorter than the 

 postocular, and distinctly constricted at base ; eyes dull greyish, 

 large and prominent ; rostrum reaching the anterior coxae, first and 

 second joints moderately incrassated ; antennas slender, first joint 

 about as long as head and thorax together ; pronotum with its 

 anterior lobe about as long as posterior lobe, broadest and truncate 

 anteriorly, gradually attenuated posteriorly ; anterior coxae distinctly 

 more than half the length of anterior femora, which are more robust 

 than in the preceding species {E. reticolus), and more strongly 

 darkly spinose ; hemelytra not extending to abdominal apex. Long. 

 13 millim. 



Hab. S. India, Cochin State, Ermakulam. 



From webs of Cyrtophora cicatrosa, Stolickzka, at dusk. 



NOTES ON THE LARVAL AND PUPAL STAGES IN 

 SOME OP THE SESIID^. 



By Colonel E. H. Rattray. 



In 'Entomologist,' vol. xliv., pages 94 and 95, appeared an 

 article by Lieut. -Col. Nurse on " The Duration of the Larval 

 Stage in some of the Sesiidfe," expressing a hope that some 

 other naturalists would give the results of their experiences. 

 During the early part of the present year I gave up my whole 

 time to these most fascinating insects. I therefore give my 

 notes for what they are worth. 



Sesia cynipiforinis and culiciformis are quite common, and 

 Trochilium crabrowformis, S. andrenoiformu, tipuliformis, and 

 myopiformis fairly so, but owing to nature of food-plant difficult 

 to obtain. 



As regards T. crahroniformis, I am of opinion that the larval 

 stage extends beyond one year, but not more than two years. I 

 have seen a large number of larvae both full-fed and half-grown, 

 but never any quite small ones, such as there would be if the 

 stage lasted three years. Numerous woods were cleared during 

 the winter of 1913-14. I searched them carefully, and inte- 

 rested the woodmen in the matter, with the result that I 

 obtained some fifty larvse. I found that all full-fed larvae had 

 cut exit holes and spun up ready to pupate before December. I 

 kept all larvse found in their original sections of sallow in moist 

 sand. All that had spun up turned to pupae, with two excep- 

 tions, about the end of May, and all but live emerged safely 

 during the last ten days of June. Two died without turning to 

 pupae, and five failed to emerge. All larva — many appeared 

 quite as large as those that had spun up— that were feeding 

 continued to feed, but owing to wood drying eventually died. 



