﻿OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 19 



Canker-worm as though there were only one species in the country, 

 and give general directions which of course are more or less mislead- 

 ing. I find too that even where the differences pointed out have been 

 recognized, they have not always been properly apprehended ; so that 

 in the report of a lecture before the Iowa Agricultural College it is 

 erroneously stated that the Fall Canker-worm hatches in the Fall 

 of the year, whereas, while the moths rise and lay their eggs at that 

 season, these do not hatch any earlier than do those of the Spring 

 species. 



Of a number of the Fall species experimented on the past year, 

 I obtained 58 chrysalides from larvee that had been fed, some of them 

 on Elm, some on Apple, some on Cherry and some on Peach. This 

 last food was evidently relished least and rejected when the other three 

 kinds could be had, but I perceived no preferences for any of the other 

 kinds. A careful examination of the chrysalides in the Autumn 

 showed that out of the 58, only two were males.* I divided the co- 

 coons into two equal lots, placing the one lot in a covered flower pot 

 out-doors, and retaining the other in breeding cages in-doors, so that 

 the first would be submitted to the influence of frost and the other 

 not. From Nov. 8, to Dec. 9, the moths issued almost daily — 27 in all, 

 namely, the two males and 25 females. An examination in January, 

 J 876, showed that all the others had perished by rot, induced doubt- 

 less by the premature opening of the cocoons in order to examine the 

 -chrysalides. Those exposed to frost commenced issuing first, and a 

 larger percentage of moths were obtained than from those kept in- 

 doors — which would indicate that a low freezing temperature followed 

 by a thaw assists development, though by no means essential. The 

 two males were placed in a separate, covered pot with five females 

 that issued contemporaneously. Each of these five females was 

 served, and each laid her full complement of eggs, four of them in sin- 

 gle batches of 221, 230, 241 and 243 respectively, and the fifth in two 

 batches of 142 and 63 respectively. The first four batches were laid 

 on the smooth pine sticks that supported the muslin cap; the last two 

 on the muslin. In each instance the time occupied in oviposition was 

 between two and three days. None of the unimpregnated females 

 laid regular batches. Most of them laid a few scattered eggs, gener- 

 ally in ones, but also in small groups ranging from 2 to 54. 



Before concluding these notes I will add to the other contrivances 

 that have been mentioned in previous reports descriptions from the 



* Inasmuch as the larvss were purposely poorly fed— the withholding of food having been carried 

 to the extent that only the number mentioned entered thegi'oundoutof some 2,000 that were commenced 

 with ; the result is rather damaging to those who believe— if there yet be such— that the male sex can be 

 § ^produced in insects by stunting the larva. 



