BLISTER BEETLES IN KANSAS. 17 



which prevents the reception of sufficient heat to start activity early 

 in the season. Only those individuals of E. cinerea that are near 

 the surface appear with the main brood of E. maculata. 



Epicauta sericans Lec. 



Adults of Epicauta sericans have been collected from June 6 to 

 September 11. They are commonly found feeding in flowers on 

 many kinds of plants, often being taken on sunflower (Relianthus 

 spp.), other Composite, the scurvy pea (Psoralea temtiflora) , alfalfa, 

 peanuts, and other cultivated legumes. 



The eggs have not been secured or the growing stages recognized. 

 The coarctate larva? have been collected during the fall, winter, and 

 spring, and emergence begins early in June. For these reasons this 

 species is believed to develop normally one generation annually, 

 hibernating as coarctate larva; but instances of retarded develop- 

 ment have occurred, and these are considered under the proper 

 heading. 



Epicauta pennsylvanica De G. 



The adults of the small black blister beetle have been collected 

 at Garden City, Kans., from August 17 to November 11. At the 

 latter date about half the adults had died, and the remainder w T ere 

 so stiff from cold that they could not cling to vegetation. They were 

 first found on blossoms of the goldenrod (Solidago spp.), but later 

 fed on the blossoms of the many-flowered aster {Aster multiflora), 

 alfalfa, and a few other plants. Eggs were not found in the field, 

 but were secured from adults confined on earth in a battery jar. On 

 October 20 a cluster of 363 was deposited about half an inch below 

 the surface. The eggs hatched on November 15, which was too 

 late for development to proceed. This agrees with Riley's state- 

 ment 5 that the species evidently hibernates as the triungulin. 



IRREGULAR DEVELOPMENT. 



During the progress of these investigations some marked varia- 

 tions were observed in the time required for development. Of 

 active, grown larvae collected at Garden City, Kans., during the 

 period from April 12 to 16, 1916, three transformed to coarctate 

 larvae of Epicauta cinerea by May 7. When examined again on 

 May 29 they were found dead as third larvae, having perished from 

 lack of moisture. Under the circumstances it is impossible to say 

 whether these specimens were mature scarabaeidoid or the third 

 larvae when collected. Most specimens of Epicauta cinerea that have 



5 R'Ilby,, C. V., Packard A. S., and Thomas, Cyrus. Op cit., p. 301. 



