58 



BULLETIISr 417, U, S. DEPAETMElS^T OF AGEICULTUEE. 



fee 'ing to enter hibernation earlier in 1909 than in 1910, the average 

 date being June 27 in the former year, and July 1 2 in the latter. Only 

 one of the females (No. 2723) lived to enter hibernation in the fall of 

 1911 and tliis one died before the following spring. All the original, 

 males and females in this series, except female No. 2706, which was re- 

 ceived in 1908, were received from Europe in the spring of 1909. 

 Some of the males died later but were replaced with males from more 

 recent shipments. These beetles may have been collected in Europe 

 in a locahty where spring opens at an earher date than in New England, 

 and as a consequence their active feeding season was cut short in 

 1909. The records of 1910 appear more nearly normal. The writers 

 suspect that female No. 2723, whose cage was dug up Jiuie 16, 1910, 

 disclosing the beetle at a depth of 16 inches, might have remained 

 dormant through that summer until the next spring had she not been 

 disturbed at that time. The junior author discovered in 1911 that this 

 habit is pecuhar to a portion of sycopJianta, which gives reason for sus- 

 picion that this and other species of the genus may have the same habit. 

 The depths of the cavities of this species range from 1 to 16 inches 

 but most of them were found from 1 to 4 inches below the surface. 



1 



COLONIES. 



Most of the beetles imported were hberated in suitable localities 

 soon after receipt ; a very few of this species were kept for study. In 

 all, five separate colonies have been liberated since 1906. On June 20 

 of that year :Mr. E. S. G. Titus and :Mr. F.' H. Mosher hberated 80 

 specimens m woodland which was badly infested by the gipsy moth 

 in Lynnfield, Mass. On the same date another colony of 87 speci- 

 mens was placed in the same town about a mile from the first libera- 

 tion, and on July 7, 20 specimens were released a short distance from 

 the point where the last-mentioned planting was made. These col- 

 onies were visited several times during the sunmier of 1906, but no 

 beetles or larvae were recovered. In 1908 a number of trees in the 

 center of each of these colonies were burlapped and several examina- 

 tions were made during the summer, but none of the beetles or their 

 larvae were found. Numerous exammations have been made since 

 that time with similar results. 



On Jrnie 15, 1909, 27 males and 45 females were released in bacUy 

 infested woodland in Mehose, Mass., and although several careful 

 examinations were made that year and in the years following the 

 species has not been recovered. On June 26, 1911, nine second-stage 

 larvse of this species that had been reared at the laboratory were placed 

 in a cultivated field in Saugus, Mass., where cutworms were abun- 

 dant. At that time it was anticipated that more inquisitor larvae could 

 be added to this colony, but owing to a heavy mortahty in the rearing 

 jars it was impossible to do this. It was desired to see if it was not 

 possible for this species, particularly the larvse, to develop if Hberated 

 m surroundings where caterpillars which were terrestrial in habit were 

 within easy reach. Although several examinations have been made, 

 no hving specimens of inquisizor have been recovered in this or in the 

 other colonies that have been liberated. It is probable that the fail- 

 ure of the beetle larvse to climb explains in part the inability of the 

 species to become established in this country. It will be noted that 

 no large colonies were hberated, and this may have made it more diffi- 

 cult for the species to propagate and develop. Apparently inquisitor 



