LIFE-HISTORY OF TENTHREDOPSIS MICROCEPHALA. 169 



just under two lines, back deep bluish grey, sides and under 

 sides greenish white. Vertex of head deep brown, face pale, eyes 

 black, twenty-two legs, prolegs and claspers pale, claws brown. 

 Larvae eat irregular holes in the leaves, avoiding the large ribs, 

 are sluggish, but not timid, lying curled up on the under side of 

 leaves ; after their first meal they develop a kind of ardoise 

 bloom. The eggs darkened in colour considerably about two 

 days before hatching. 



June 3rd-6th. — Larv?e much grown, have moulted, and appear 

 bluish grey, with very dark if not quite black heads ; ardoise 

 bloom over the whole body, which, when rubbed, shows a grey- 

 green, semi-transparent skin; body cylindrical, not wrinkled, but 

 striated under the bloom ; dorsal line inconspicuous. They eat 

 voraciously, chiefly at evening, lying curled up during the heat 

 of the day. 8th-12th. — Larvae moulted and came out green with 

 dull olive stripes and olive dorsal line ; head dark, especially on 

 vertex ; shape much thickened. In this stage they are shy, 

 falhng off the leaf if touched or alarmed, and ejecting a brown 

 acrid liquid plentifully from their mouths. Length from 11-13 

 lines. 15th-22nd. — Larvae moulted for the last time, appearing 

 bright green all over, and ceased to eject liquid. Length 10-12 

 lines. They went down into earth, not spinning a cocoon, but 

 lying in a cell of earth, very smooth inside, but crumbling as 

 soon as handled. Seventeen went down. 



March 20th, 1894. — Larvae changed to emerald green pupae. 



April 2nd. — Pupae turned black. 4th-6th. — Ten female flies 

 hatched. 10th-12th. — Virgin eggs laid on buttercup -leaves. 

 13th. — One male fly hatched ; it differed from the females iu 

 having the third and fourth segments of the abdomen dull red. 



May 10th.— Eggs hatching, probably retarded by the wet, cold 

 season. 21st-28th. — Several larvae dwindled and died. 



June 7th. — Larvae turned green. 22nd. — The seven survivors 

 went down into earth. 



April 10th, 1895. — Two larvae only survived the winter, these 

 have now pupated. 22nd. — One male fly appeared, small, about 

 seven lines, having red segments on the abdomen. 



In Mr. Cameron's account of the Tenthredopsides (Phytoph. 

 Hymenopt., vol. i. p. 102), it is stated that none of the larvae are 

 known ; it is therefore much to be wished that this neglected 

 group might attract more attention, as it is evidently not difficult 

 to induce the females to deposit eggs, nor does it require much 

 trouble to rear the larvae. I have found larvae of Tcnthredopsis 

 microcephala on cultivated chrysanthemum, and one of my flies 

 laid eggs on a leaf of premorse scabious which had accidentally 

 been placed in the case, but the eggs came to nothing. 



Forest Bank, Lyndhvirst. 



