32 



t'ALOSOM.V SYCOPHANTA. 



traveled 9,058 feet or 1.71 miles. (See fig. 15.) It might be of inter- 

 est to state that the insect was active the greater part of the time, and 

 that the greatest speed for a 4^-hoiir period was 4.9 feet per minute, 

 and that during the first 24 hours the average rate of travel was 3.69 

 feet per minute. xVfter the second 24 hours the rate of travel decreased 

 gradually, and. during the last 12 hours the larva spent considerable 

 time at rest. During the course of the experiment the larva lost 

 about 0.11 grains, or a little more than one-third of its original weight. 

 This experiment shows the remarkable vitality possessed by these 

 larvie, and indicates that under any conditions they would be able to 

 survive for several days and travel a considerable distance before 

 succumbing from the effects of hunger. The conditions under which 

 the test was conducted were, of course, abnormal, and it is not pre- 

 sumed that a larva of this species would travel as great a distance as 



Fk;. l.'i.— Roll of iiapcr slio\viiig rerord of distance traveled by larva of iithie<i)na si/cvphanta. 



(Original.) 



that indicated in the record. It should be said, however, that in cer- 

 tain respects the test was unfavorable for the larva, owing to the fact 

 that no moisture whatever was supplied and that it traveled on a dry 

 surface and at a temperature which made rapid evaporation possible. 



Feeding Habits of the Larva. 



The larvae of this species appear to feed both by day and night, but 

 their activity in this direction is greatly stimulated if the weather is 

 hot. As a rule the caterpillars are attacked from the side or in the 

 middle of the back, and if they are hairy specimens the favorite place 

 seems to be between the segments where the larvae can more readily 

 pierce the integument with their sliarp mandibles. Newly hatched 

 larvae of sycopJianta are able successfully to combat equally well all 



