Pg ar aM ae Nees came ees tsa eS ie Pere te ROPER see Lee gr eM are ee ge 
1878.) Transformations and Habits of Blister-Beetles. 289 
quent developmental stages will indicate specific or even generic 
differences in species of similar size in these three genera. 
That the eggs of Epicauta may exceptionally hybernate is pos- 
sible, but, from their delicate nature, improbable. That the triun- 
gulins frequently do so there can be no doubt, especially in spe- 
cies like the Black Blister-beetle, which is found on the flowers 
of Solidago, Eupatorium, etc., till the end of October, and con- 
tinues laying till frost. I have at the present time (November) 
many of these last that are quietly huddled together, and, with 
winter temperature, will doubtless remain so; while others have 
worked in between the locust eggs, there evidently to remain 
without feeding till spring opens. I have also found as many as 
five triungulins of this species curled up in the deep red mucous 
matter that surrounds the eggs of Gdipoda phanecoptera—all 
numb and torpid, and evidently hybernating. 
Conclusion.—From the foregoing history of our commoner 
blister-beetles, it is clear that while they pass through the curious 
hypermetamorphoses so characteristic of the family, and have 
many other features in common, yet Epicauta and Macrobasis dif- 
fer in many important respects from Meloë and Sitaris, the only 
genera hitherto fully known biologically. To resume what is 
known of the larval habits of the family, we have : 
Ist—The small, smooth, unarmed, tapering triungulin of the 
prolific Sitaris, with the thoracic joints subequal, with strong ar- 
ticulating, tarsal claws on the stout-thighed but spineless! legs, 
and, in addition, a caudal spinning apparatus. The mandibles 
scarcely extend beyond the labrum; the creature seeks the light, 
and is admirably adapted to adhering to bees but not to burrow- 
ing in the ground. The second larva is mellivorous, and the 
transformations from the coarctate larval stage all take place 
within the unrent larval skin—We have: 
2d—The more spinous and larger triungulin of the still more 
prolific Me/oé, with long caudal sete, but otherwise closely re- 
sembling that of Szfaris in the femoral, tarsal and trophial char- 
acters, in the subequal thoracic joints, in the unarmed tibia, and 
in the instinctive love of light and fondness for fastening to bees. 
The second larva is also mellivorous, but the later transformations 
take place in the rent and partly shed skins of the second and 
_ Coarctate larvæ.—We have: 
1 The larva of S. humeralis appears to differ from that of S. cof/efis in having hairs 
on the femora and tibiz. 
