24 TEXA.S Agricultural Experiment Station 



working over the comb, the female often places the eggs close together. 

 On the smaller pieces of comb, furnished to moths confined in cages, 

 as many as seven eggs were found in a single cavity. The number of 

 eggs actually deposited by one female has not been determined. In the 

 cages, under artificial conditions, if the comb was not supplied for the 

 female she would deposit her eggs in any rough place detected by her 

 ovipositor. _In many instances the female would refuse to oviposit on 

 cappings which were furnished in some of the cages, but would go 

 around the base of the lamp globe in which they were confined and fill 

 every crevice with eggs. Sometimes these eggs would be fastened on 

 the outside of the glass, and in such cases the globe would be fastened 

 to its resting place. 



time of oviposition 



Oviposition usually takes place at night, beginning at early dusk. 

 In every cage the most of the ovipositing was completed by 9 :30 p. m. 

 On the last day the female may oviposit during the afternoon, especiallj^ 

 if the day is cloudy or the cage is not directly exposed to light. 



HABITS during OVIPOSITION 



Whenever freed from the cages, the females always started immediately 

 for the windows of the laboratory, but the males, when turned out, 

 sought protection in darkened places. The female was active as soon 

 as darkness started, but upon turning on the electric lights in the room, 

 sought the darker places. If a bright light, such as a candle or read- 

 ing lamp was placed close to the cage, however, the female kt once 

 attempted to reach the light. The male was not so readily affected by 

 light, seeming to prefer quiet and protection. 



During the cool evenings of early fall, the moths are active only on 

 those nights when no breeze is blowing. At this latitude the usual 

 breeze stops during the later part of the evening, and the moths may 

 become active for a short period. 



The male is never found on the food during the oviposition period, 

 and rarely is the male found on food preceding the period. The female 

 is not found around the food before the oviposition period, but may 

 often be found in the better protected places during the period. 



PERIOD OF oviposition 



The period of oviposition of the beemoth varies considerably within 

 the brood as well as with broods. During the last part of the egg 

 laying period the female appears to be in a great hurry, and during 

 the last few days she deposits during the day, as well as during the 

 night, at times stopping to rest. If disturbed during the resting period, 

 she vigorously resumes her egg laying. The females usually die while 

 ovipositing and the last three or four eggs are barely extruded from 



