56 



BULLETIlSr 416, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ascertain if the species would develop to maturity on eggs alone. 

 Quayle (1913) has stated that ;S'. picipes larvae ate about 7 mites per 

 day during April in Cahfornia, but that rate of feeding would doubt- 

 less become accelerated under such temperature conditions as ob- 

 tained during the tests at Batesburg. 



Stethorus nanus Le Conte, — This small black species has been 

 identified from individuals collected while actively feeding in red- 

 spider colonies. Tests have not been conducted with this coccinellid. 



Scymnus coUaris Melsheimer. — ^This species has been taken on 

 several occasions from the midst of red-spider colonies in which they 

 were feeding, but no data relative to its mite-feeding capacity have 

 been secured. 



Microweisea misella Le Conte. — This minute member of the lady- 

 beetle group was collected from June to October on elderberry, 

 phlox, and tomato, all of which were infested with the red spider. 

 Only individuals in the adult stage were seen, but these were very 



Fig. 17. — The spotted lady-beetle {Megilla maculata), an enemy of the red spider: a, Larva; 6, empty pupa 

 skin; c, adult. Much enlarged. (Chittenden.) 



active within the mite colonies. Owing to the minute size of this 

 species, it is probable that its control capacity is rather limited. 



Megilla maculata De Geer. — ^A few eggs of this coccinelhd (fig 17) 

 were collected September 10, 1914, and hatched under control. One 

 individual was reared to adult on a diet of adult mites and was iden- 

 tified as this species. Table XXIV contains our data relative to the 

 hfe history of this lady-beetle. 



Table XXIV. — Life cycle of Megilla maculata, Batesburg, S. C. 



Eggs collected 1914 Sept. 10 



Eggs hatched Sept. 11 



First molt Sept. 18 



Second molt Sept. 21 



Third molt Sept. 25 



Foiirth molt Oct. 5 



Egg period 1 + day- 



Length of first instar 7 



Length of second instar 3 



Length of third instar. 4 



Length of fourth instar 10 



Pupal period 6 



Hatched to adult 30 



days 

 days 

 days 

 days 

 days 



