310 INSECTS AND MAN 



was brought from her compulsory retirement, mating took 

 place, and the subsequent progeny consisted of both sexes. 



The female Schedius places her egg within the body of 

 the unhatched but fully formed moth caterpillar. Each 

 curiously formed egg is provided with a very long stalk, 

 the end of which passes not only through the body of the 

 caterpillar, but through the egg shell as well. At the time 

 of hatching of the Schedius larva the stalk becomes 

 functional, forming a connection with the outer air. The 

 host larva is quite destroyed except for the harder parts, 

 head, claws, and hair, whilst the parasite larva moults twice 

 and pupates within the shell. 



An interesting and important point in connection with 

 this insect is that often two or more eggs are deposited in 

 one host caterpillar, but, out of thousands of such cases 

 kept under strict observation, never more than one adult 

 has issued from one egg. The supernumerary individuals 

 simply disappear and the survivor is nourished on their 

 substance. Whether there is a trial of strength or a con- 

 test of appetites, in which the more skilled individual 

 eventually devours his companions, or what exactly takes 

 place, is one of nature's secrets. 



Before abandoning the consideration of this little insect, 

 we may relate a tragedy that actually came under the 

 observation of an American entomologist. The egg of a 

 gipsy moth had been parasitised by Anastatus, whose larva, 

 after consuming the entire egg contents, had settled down 

 to a hibernation of ten months or so (fig. 99, I.). Nemesis 

 swif ty overtook this fat and happy grub, for three Schedius 

 individuals in succession deposited their eggs in his inviting 

 carcass (fig. 99, IL). Sad to relate, this triple tragedy was 

 cut short in the interests of science ; but, in the ordinary 

 course of events, gipsy moth, Anastatus, and two Schedius 

 would have gone to the Ewigkeit that one Schedius might 

 live. To quote the words of the United States Government 

 report, from which this account is derived, " This conflict 



