Fig. 6.— Ladybird. Megilta maculata: a, larva; b, empty 
pupal skin; c, beetle. (Cliittenden, Circ. 43, Bur. Ent., 
U. S. Dept. of y\griculture.) 
74 
The hemispherical, brightly colored ladybird beetles (Fig. 6) are 
familiar, tho their larvae are not so generally recognized. The ento- 
mologist knows them as 
active little alligator-like 
creatures, with a long 
warty or spiny abdomen. 
Some of them are black- 
ish, but most of the com- 
mon kinds are spotted 
with conspicuous colors. 
The pupa is attached by 
the tail to a silken support 
spun by the larva on a 
green leaf or other object. 
Its period is four to eight 
days, usually five or six in 
July, in the case of several 
of our common species. The yellow elliptical eggs, laid in small clus- 
ters, are conspicuous on green leaves and elsewhere. 
CoccinellidcB in general hibernate as beetles, and all the species 
mentioned here do so. They are among the first insects to appear in 
the warm days of late March and early April. Comparatively few at 
the opening of the season, they multiply rapidly, tho in this respect 
they lag somewhat behind the plant-lice on which they feed, if the 
latter are at all numerous. Coccinellidce feed also on scale insects, 
pollen grains, spores, etc., as Forbes found (Bull. No. 6, 111. State Lab. 
Nat. Hist., 1883, pp. 33-64), but feed chiefly on plant-lice, and thus 
are beneficial. 
Adalia bipunctata and Hippodamia glacialis were not often met 
with in the clover field, and Coccinella sanguined was not numerous. 
Chilocorus biviilnerus, well known as a destroyer of scale insects, was 
rather common at times as an enemy of the clover-louse. The other 
species listed above were always common. C. p-notata we noted as 
emerging as a beetle June 29, July 16 and 18; C. sanguinea, June 23; 
H. I ^-punctata, July 15, 16, and 18; M. maculata, Jime 20, 21, 22, 
and 24; H. parenthesis issued July 1, 2, and 5, from pupae found June 
27; and eggs of this species, found June 14, hatched June 20, one of 
the larvae pupating July 11 and giving the beetle July 15. 
All the species listed were actually seen feeding upon M. pisi, 
either in the field or in the insectary. In the latter place, the diet of 
three Megilla maculata beetles included also (to their discredit) one 
coccinellid pupa, one adult C. sanguinea and two beetles of their own 
kind, besides some of their own eggs and (to their credit) eggs of the 
Colorado potato-beetle that were ofifered to them. 
Perilitus americanus, a braconid parasite of the beetle of Megilla 
maculata and now and then of C. p-notata, we reared several times 
from the former host. Parasitized beetles taken on clover leaves June 
17, gave the winged braconid June 21 and 22; others, of June 23, gave 
I 
