428 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM v 



The eggs are elongate oval, pale yellowish (whitish when fresl 

 laid), have a small disclike micropylar knob which is flatter than a! 

 a chorion which is smoother than those of Hemerobius. They 

 approximately 0.35 mm. in length in Sisyra fuscata, S. termini 

 (Withycombe, 1923, p. 520), and/S'%rasp. (ibid., 1925, p. 310) andol 

 by 0.16 mm. in Climacia areolaris (Brown, 1952, p. 138). The ef 

 are usually laid in clusters (averaging 2 to 5 with a maximum of' 

 for areolaris and 1 to 12 for Sisyra (probably /wscato) ) in depressi( 

 on objects overhanging fresh water, such as branches, leaves, wo» 

 piles, docks, etc. They are covered by a whitish silken web of thl 

 to four layers, spun as a superposed series of Z's in areolaris (Bro\ 

 1952, p. 155) or by a method wherein the female spins a few para 

 strands, then shifts her position slightly and spins a few more stran 

 crossing the first strands, and so on (Withycombe, 1923, p. 520). 1 

 ninth sternite of the female contains the opening to the cement gld 

 and is also used for locating crevices in which to deposit eggs. 



Hatching usually takes place within eight days to two weeks, 

 incubation period being partially dependent upon the temperatil 

 At eclosion, blood is forced into the labrum-clypeus and through 

 pumping and swelling of the underlying tissues, the amniotic e^ 

 burster is pressed against the chorion, rupturing it longitudina . 

 The egg-bm-ster is long and slender, and possesses a serrate cuttg 

 edge, with the teeth towards the base longer and narrower. T e 

 larva usually sheds its amniotic skin while working its way out of e 

 shell and pushing through the layer of silk. The larva then driis 

 into the water and forces its way through the surface film of e 

 water, sometimes with difficulty, by bending the tip of the abdorn 

 up over the back to the head, so that the anterior portion of the laa 

 is propelled through the film as the larva straightens out. Thent 

 sinks slowly and drifts along with the head, legs, and tip of abdor n 

 bent under ventrally. A gas bubble or bubbles, possibly serving is 

 a hydrostatic organ, in the gut of the thorax has been thought o 

 control the specific gravity (Withycombe, 1923, pp. 520-521; Brou, 

 1952, pp. 140-141). The larva swims from time to time by curvg 

 the abdomen ventrally, then jerking it out straight and moving le 

 legs simultaneously. Eventually it settles upon a sponge and fels 

 intermittently by inserting its mandibles and maxillae and suck g 

 the fluids. After feeding, it may clean the antennae and mouthpi js 

 with the forelegs, similar to other Neuroptera. Under normal coii- 

 tions it does not readily leave the sponge before becoming a mat;e 

 larva. 



There are three instars, with the first molt of Climacia areoltis 

 taking place at about the end of the first week. When the thl- 



