CLOVER AND ALT^ALFA SEED CHAL,OIS-FLY. 9 



Mr, Kelly reported adults of />. futcehiis active and ovipositing in 

 alfalfa seed pods at Wellington, Kans., by June 10, 1911. 



OVIPOSITION. 



The adults of B nicJiophagus funehrls appearing in early spring 

 are not always able to locate developing seeds of their host plants at 

 the time of their emergence, and it may be three or four weeks be- 

 fore an opportunity for oviposition is found. In midsummer ovi- 

 position takes place within a few days after the adult emerges. 

 Green and half-grown seed pods are favored for oviposition. The 

 female adult takes a position directly over the slight enlargement on 

 the pod caused by the developing seed. The ovipositor is forced 

 through the green seed pod and into the soft watery seed, where the 

 egg is placed. The time required for oviposition is about one 

 minute. 



POSITION OF EGG. 



The egg is usually placed just beneath the inner integument of 

 the seed, sometimes between the cotjdedons, and frequently within 

 the semiliquid contents of a cotyledon. It is placed singly, although 

 oviposition into the same seed may be repeated. The mark left by 

 oviposition may sometimes be seen in the form of a very minute 

 spot on the surface of the seed, but this is usually not discernible 

 even with the aid of a microscope. The relative position of the 

 seeds in a pod in no way seems to influence the chances of infesta- 

 tion. 



EGG STAGE. 



Observations made during the month of April at Pasadena, Calif., 

 showed the period of incubation as requiring from 7 to 12 days. 

 In the month of June the incubation period was found to be about 

 five days. E. L. Barrett, assisting the writer, found eggs of B. 

 fimebris hatching in four days during very warm weather. 



LARVAL STAGE. 



The larva, upon hatching from the egg, finds itself surrounded 

 with the soft contents of the growing seed. The first feeding takes 

 place after the larva is one or two days old, and in midsummer 

 rapid growth follows. The larva of B. funehris never leaves the 

 seed in which it is developing to infest another seed in the same 

 pod. Where two or more larvse chance to be in the same seed, one 

 or both usually perish before development is completed. Molts, 

 ■apparently, occur indefinitely in the larval stage, and appear to 

 be the peeling off, in small fragments, of the old larval skin. The 

 136601°— 20— Bull. 812 2 



