PREDACEOUS HEMIPTERA. 401 



sofa senatoria and one partly grown larva of Telea polyplie- 

 mus. In the imago stage the insect (female) killed five 

 larvae of Anisota senatoria. It was placed with a male Sep- 

 tember 25, and mated September 30. On October 12, it 

 was found partly hidden under some loose bark and leaves 

 which had been placed in the bottom of the breeding-cage, 

 and at the present writing (Jan. 1, 1896) it is still alive, and 

 hibernating without having deposited its eggs. 



Feeding Habits. In attacking a full-grown larva the 

 bug apparently first makes a preliminary investigation, and, 

 with antennae elevated, carefully inspects the caterpillar on 

 all sides. After sidling around for some time, the point of 

 attack is selected, usually the softer integument at the an- 

 nulations of the body, the beak (Plate 62, Fig. 3) is swung 

 down and out, projected horizontally forward and inserted 

 in the side of the larva. Its entrance is at first unnoticed 

 by the caterpillar, but after a few minutes a vigorous struggle 

 ensues, which sometimes, but rarely, results in the bug being 

 obliged to release its hold. In a short time the caterpillar 

 grows weaker, apparently becomes stupefied, and the bug, 

 after inserting its beak in new places, till the greater part 

 of the body fluids have been extracted, finally leaves the 

 dead, empty and flaccid larva hanging to the tree. The 

 time consumed in feeding on a full-grown gypsy moth 

 caterpillar varies from ten minutes to two or three hours, 

 the bug as a rule feeding longest upon the thoracic seg- 

 ments. 



The newly hatched bug seems to be unable to cope with 

 large caterpillars, and I am led to believe that under natural 

 conditions their early food is small larvae. On June 10, 

 1895, at Winthrop, Mass., I found twelve nymphs of P. 

 serieventris, of the first and second stage, feeding upon 

 small, dark beetle larvae, which were abundant upon leaves 

 of Plantago major. In the breeding cage the young nymphs 

 were first fed upon the remains of soft-skinned larvae, such 

 as Rhynchagrotis alternata and Noctua c-nigrum, the cater- 

 pillars being cut up into small bits before feeding them to the 

 bugs. It was necessary to place the young bugs in close 

 proximity to the food thus provided, and for this purpose a 



