THE MYRMECOPHILOUS LADY-BIRD. 



221 



how they were laid. May 14th found me again at Weybridge, and the 

 day being very hot many of the Coccinellids, which were abundant, 

 were flying about round the nests and trees in company with Ubjthra 

 quadfljnmctata. The copulation of several couples was observed— the 

 male sits far back on the female, his front tarsi resting on the large 

 black central spots on her elytra, his body vibrating now and then. 

 It being evidently a little too early for the eggs, several couples were 

 taken home and placed in a large box with a glass lid, and supplied 

 Avith fir- boughs, plant-lice, and honey. 



My next visit to Weybridge was on May 21st, in company with my 

 colleague, Mr. Crawley, "and after a long hunt I found a bunch of eggs 

 on the underside of a pine-needle. The eggs were long and of a 

 bright yellow colour, and were laid in rows like a lot of little barrels 

 placed close together, two and three abreast. As far as I am aware 

 the ova of this beetle had never been found before. As no more were 

 seen by either of us, after the most careful search, it was probably still 

 somewhat early for the eggs. On May 30th, however, I was more 

 successful, clusters of eggs being found on fir, birch, and oak trees 

 over rufa nests, always on the underside of the leaves, or pine needles ; 

 the number of eggs present in a bunch varied — 7, 12, 14, and 20 being 

 noted. About 1 o'clock a female was obsei-ved laying eggs on the 

 underside of a leaf on a young oak tree, round which a large rufa 

 hillock had been built. After laying an egg she advanced a little and 

 laid another just in front of those behind, 20 in all being laid. V/hen 

 she had finished she walked quickly away, and I captured her. This 

 female laid more eggs on June 3rd, in captivity, and these eggs 

 hatched on June 8th. Some of the Lady-Birds, in captivity in the 

 glass-topped box mentioned above, laid eggs ; but these were always 

 devoured by the others. Copulation was also noted in captivity on 

 -June 7th ; on this occasion the female swayed rapidly from side to 

 side every now and then, as if she Avished to shake off the male. 



I was successful in rearing two specimens right through from the 

 egg to the perfect insect. This was only accomplished with consider- 

 able difficulty. I tried them on fir-boughs placed in water, but the 

 Aphids on the boughs soon died, or fell ofi', as did also the young 

 Coccinellid larv^ ; in plaster nests, but if kept too damp they died 

 when moulting, and if too dry they died at once ; they also devoured 

 each other. Eventually I kept each larva by itself in a small glass- 

 topped box, with a little wet cotton wool to keep the atmosphere moist, 

 and this required to be damped frequently in the hot weather. I 

 supplied them with any plant-lice I could get hold of — off fir, birch, 

 oak, mountain ash, nettles, rose trees, and ivy. They did not appear 

 to care for the rose Aphis much, but devoured the ivy species very 

 readily. 



The following is the time table of the two specimens successfully 

 reared : — ■ 



A. Eggs on the underside of a B. Female observed laying eggs 

 pine-needle (probably laid the on the underside of an oak- 



day they were found) found leaf at 



at Weybridge May 21st, 1919. Weybridge, May 30ch, 1919. 



Hatched May 25th. Hatched June 6th. 



1st Moult May 30th. 1st Moult June 10th. 



2nd Moult June 4th. 2nd Moult June 15th. 



