LIFE HISTORIES OF FROGHOPPERS OF MAINE. 



285 



difference in them except in size, the greater amount of the dark 

 color and the appearance of the wing pads. 



Evidently they pass by easy gradations from one instar to 

 another. Probably the moults take place within the froth 

 masses as occasionally moulted skins may be found in the 

 froth masses, but the nymphs appear to move readily from the 

 froth if disturbed and start a new mass at another point. This 

 habit of froth forming is so strong that they will begin the 

 liberation of air bubbles in the balsam solution if placed in it 

 alive for mounting. 



The difficulty of securing newly hatched individuals is 

 obvious since the only indication of occurrence is from the 

 masses of froth and these do not appear until the young have 

 fed and presumably have attained some increase in size. 



The smallest individuals represent, therefore, probably 

 advanced individuals of the first instar or possibly newly 

 moulted individuals of the second instar. They are about two 

 millimeters long, the head, prothorax, and mesothorax, with 

 legs, antennae, and last segment of the abdomen dark olive green, 

 the metathorax and abdomen except last segment, greenish 

 white or nearly pure white. There is no trace of enlargement 

 for the wing pads and the metathorax is very short and incon- 

 spicuous. 



The second size of individuals, probably second instar, show 

 dark color on the metathorax and the angles of meso- and 

 metathorax appear scarcely swollen. 



Fig. 43. Clastoptera pfoteus Fitch. Nymphs of 2nd or 3rd and final 

 instar. Enlarged. (Original.) 



