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XV. Notes of the habits of a Lepicloj)terous Insect 

 jmrasitic on Fulgora candelaria. By J. C. 

 BOWRING, Esq. With a description of the species. 

 By J. O. Westwood, M.A., F.L.S., Pres. 

 Ent. Soc. 



[Read 2nd August, 187G.] 



It is now twenty-six years since Mr. J. C. Bowring 

 brought to England from Hong Kong specimens of a 

 "curious Coccus-like insect, parasitic on Fulgora can- 

 delaria,^^ which he deposited in the British Museum. On 

 his return to China he endeavoured to rear the insect to 

 the perfect state, Avhich he succeeded in doing in June, 

 1850, the parasite in question proving to be the larva of 

 a Lepidopterous insect. On the discovery being made, 

 he forwarded further specimens to England, accompanied 

 by the following notes : — 



" No. 1 is a young larva. These are found from the 

 size of a pin's head to fully half an inch in length attached 

 to the dorsal surface of the Fulgora, there being rarely 

 more than one parasite on a Fulgora, although in one 

 instance I found three on a single specimen. When 

 young they are destitute of the cottony covering which 

 gives them so great a resemblance to several species of 

 Cocci; but as they grow larger this makes its appearance, 

 imtil they are at length densely covered with it. Arrived 

 at this stage, they drop off from the Fulgorce, and retire 

 to some safe place where they may undergo their transfor- 

 mation to the pupa state. (No. 2.) Although I have 

 not been able to discover in what way the insect spins its 

 coating of cotton into a cocoon, it is evident that it does 

 so, forming a comfortable-looking compact nidus, lined 

 internally with strong and stiff material. (See No. 3, a 

 cocoon cut open and the pupa No. 4 extracted.) The 

 period during which the insect remains in the pupa state 

 is very variable ; in one instance it was only nine days — 

 in another upwards of twelve months ; the latter case was 

 during our cool season, the former last month (June, 1850). 



TRAN?. ENT. SOC. 1876. — PART IV. (dEC.) 



