BLISTEE BEETLES TX KAXSAS. 



15 



Egg and Young Larva. 

 The egg has not l)een secured or the growing .stages of the larva recognized. 



COAKCTATK LaKVA. 



Tlie average of 10 coarctate hirvse was G.ST5 mm. in length by 3.8 mm. in 

 width. They are reddish brown, but not so dark as those of E. cinereu. and 

 the lateral ridges are present and distinctly angular. 



Thiki) I^arva. 

 The third larvjie are 7 to 8 nun. long by 2.;") to 

 3.ii mm, wide. In shape, color, and general appear- 

 ance they resemble those of Mdcrolxiais iinnidciihita. 



PtJPA. 



A description of the ])Upa has never been secured. 



EpICAUTA I'ENXSTLVAXTCA De G. 



Adttlt. 

 Epicauta pennsylvanica (tig. IS) is the smallest 

 of the black blister beetles that occur in Kansas. 

 Of IS specimens, the length varied from 8.5 to 14 

 nmi., averaging 10.3 mm., and the width from 2 to 

 4 mm., averaging 2.88 mm. ; shape rather slender ; 

 color dull black. 



Egg. 



Fig. l.S. — The black l)lis- 

 ter beetle (E pioauta 

 poDi.sylcanica) : Adult. 

 Enlarged. (Chittenden.) 



The egg re.s-embles that of Macrohaxi.s immaciihitd, but is nuich smaller. 



Tkiungulin Larva. 



Length of triungulin larva (tig. 19) about 1.3 mm.; width about 0.3 mm., 

 widest through tlie head about midway of its length, which is just behind the 

 eyes, and tapering to the prothorax, into which it telescopes slightly ; color, 

 brownish yellow, translucent. In shape and general appe:irance it resembles the 

 triungulin of ilacrolxmis hninaculata. 



None of the other larval stages have been secured, even the coarctate larva of 

 this species having escaped recognition. 



life history and habits. 



Epicauta maculata Say. 



OviPOSITION. 



While on the staff of the Kansas Experiment 

 Station the writer ob:r;erved oviposition by a fe- 

 male of Epicauta maculata^ as well as by a female 

 of Maeroha^Ls 'Dnntaculata. Both were working 

 at the same time, bein»j discovereil only a few 

 yards apart in the edjie of a field. The process was 

 identical with botli females, lasting from before 

 3.30 p. m. until after 6 p. m., as described under 

 M. imtnaculatd. The cavities to receive the eggs 

 were made exactly alike — bell-shaped, with the 

 flaring end down and the eggs reposing in a 

 further depression at the center of the bottom of 

 the l)ell; but the cavit}^ made by E. macidata was only about 1 inch 



Fig. 19. — Epicauta 

 p en n sylvan tea : Tri- 

 ungnilln. Enlarged. 



