1921] Notes on Orcliestes rufipes 153 



evidence. Practically all of tlie adults disappear Ity the middle 

 of June. The mining of the foliage continues until about the end 

 of the first week of July, at which time most of the larvae are full 

 grown and pupation is starting. This takes place within the mine, 

 requiring about a week or ten days. By the middle of July many 

 beetles are out and by the last of July the entire brood is in 

 evidence, feeding on such ' green foliage as escaped the ravages 

 of the larvae and the hibernating brood of beetles. Feeding con- 

 tinues until cool weather forces the beetles to seek winter quarters. 



As has been stated Ijefore, a noticeable browning of the foliage 

 starts about the last of April or first of May. As the feeding 

 increases so does the injury, and by the time the mines are starting 

 much of the foliage is bro-^ai and dead. The larvse complete the 

 destructive work, and by the end of July infested trees have the 

 appearance of having been swept by fire. 



The adult eats a hole usually through the lower epidermis and 

 then consumes the tissue and Juices between the upper and lower 

 epidermis for a short distance around the original opening. This 

 results in a little circular or oval hollow area in the leaf along 

 the inner edge of which is the opening through which the beak 

 was inserted. Later, the lower epidermis over the hollow space 

 dries and falls ofi^. This leaves a depression on the under surface. 

 Still later the upper epidermis over the eaten portion becomes 

 brown, dries and cracks, and this may result in a hole through 

 the leaf. The injury really consists of a skeletonizing of the leaf 

 from the lower surface, but it is not accomplished directly as in 

 the case of most skeletonizing by other species. In severe infesta- 

 tions the feeding punctures are so close that the entire leaf is 

 covered by them. 



The eggs are inserted singly anywhere under the lower epidermis 

 in irregular oval cavities, which resemble feeding punctures. The 

 tissue above and Ijelow the egg becomes brownish. The female 

 cuts nearly a complete circular slit in the lower epidermis, leaving 

 enough tissue for a hinge. This circular flap is pushed to one 

 side and an irregular oval area cleaned out. This results in a 

 somewhat oval cavity with the opening at one end. The egg is 

 then inserted and the flap closed. Eggs were found in young and 

 old leaves, even when they were considerably injurd by feedinsf. 



