13 



Bionomics of Havmetia . The eggs of E. illucens take between 5 and 

 \k days to hatch at room temperature (May, 1 96 1 ) . They are laid singly 

 to form masses of 500 to 1000 eggs (Furman et a]., 1 359 ) . As many as 

 1062 may be laid by one female (May, 1961). 



Larvae have been reared by placing the eggs in either moistened 

 C.S.M.A. standard larval fly medium (Furman et al., 1 959 ; Tingle et al., 

 1975), or in a medium consisting of dried milk, yeast, water, and paper 

 tissue (May, 1961). 



Larval development at 27 to 28 C required a minimum of 31 days 

 (May, 1961). There are six larval instars as determined by measurement 

 f molted head capsules. The first four instars have a creamy appear- 

 ance, but a day or two after molting occurs, the cuticle of the fifth- 

 instar larvae becomes shagreened and darkens to greyish yellow. The 

 cuticle darkens even more after the molt to the sixth instar. 



Before pupation, the larvae arrange themselves in a vertical manner 

 in the medium with the head protruding above the surface and the two 

 posterior segments curved ventrally (May, 1 96 1 ) - Furman et al. (1959) 

 reported a pupation period of about 2 weeks at 21 to 23 C, but several 

 pupae eclosed after 2 to 5 months. The cycle from egg to adult required 

 33 days at about 29.3 C in greenhouse conditions (Tingle et al., '975). 



Furman et al. (1959) demonstrated that the larvae of H. illucens 

 are not paedogenic. Larvae feci on dead larvae and adults, but were 

 not predaceous or cannibalistic. 



Both Furman et al. (1959) and Tingle et al. (1975) found adults of 

 H. illueens to be eurygamous. The adults reared by the former authors 

 did not mate, but the females laid masses of sterile eggs. Tingle et al. 



o 



