March, I902.] HeRRICK: LiFE-HiSTORY OF OnCIDKRES TeXANA. 15 



Briefly stated, the life history is as follows : The insect winters in 

 the larval stage, freezing and thawing as often as need be during that 

 season. It pupates late in May and bei^omes adult a week or ten days 

 later. Eggs are laid in the leaves singly or in small groups ; fastened 

 to the sides or floating on the surface. The summer broods mature in 

 about a month, and there are probably three if not four series ; but 

 the broods overlap so much that the breeding is practically contin- 

 uous. Late in the season the adults select the new leaves for ovipo- 

 sition even if they are yet dry. 



There is little dift'erence in appearance between the sexes and the 

 antennae of the male are hardly plumo.se. 



In New Jersey the larvae breed in the leaves of Sarracenia purpurea 

 only ; but not everywhere, for Mr. E. L. Dickerson, who examined a 

 large number of plants for me in Morris County, says positively that 

 there are no mosquito larvae in any of them. Whether exceptionally 

 or normally, the water in the plants examined by him was foul, and 

 in such a mixture this larva does not live. On the other hand, Mr. 

 D. W. Coquillett tells me that he has the species from Florida, where 

 it breeds in the leaves of an orchidaceous plant growing on trees. 



This is the Jersey mosquito for which I claim that it does not 

 bite ! 



NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY AND HABITS OF 

 ONCIDKRES TEXANA. 



Bv Glenn W. Herrick. 



While inspecting nurseries in Biloxi and Ocean Springs, Missis- 

 sippi, the writer noted that the branches of many pecan trees in the 

 nursery rows were cleanly severed as though by some insect, probably 

 a beetle. On further investigation a puncture in the bark just beneath 

 every bud on the severed portion was evident. In the majority of 

 these punctures was found a minute egg, from which the larvae and 

 pupae of One icier es texana Horn, have been reared and observed for 

 nearly two years. 



Mr. James Brodie of Biloxi, has aided me greatly in observing the 

 habits of the adults and in sending me material. I shall frequently 

 quote Mr. Brodie' s own words. 



