a5 
of another, but this not infrequently happens. Much less frequently 
the eggs are deposited on other portions of the plant—the main stem, 
branches, and leaves. Eggs, it is well known, will be placed on market 
shoots when other portions of the plant are not available for their 
reception. 
PREDACEOUS ENEMIES. 
In the Yearbook article, in the chapter on ‘“ Natural checks,” the 
writer called attention to the fact that, for some unexplained reason, 
authors of economic articles in entomology had paid no notice to 
the natural enemies of the asparagus beetles, only a single species, 
doubtfully believed to have been Myobia pumila, having been recorded 
as attacking Crioceris asparagi in this country prior to the year 1896, 
Observations conducted in the neighborhood of Washington indicate 
that the natural enemies of this species have practically no effect on 
the first generation of larve. 
The spotted ladybird (Megilia maculata DeG.), during the season of 
1896, was found to have been the most effective destroyer of asparagus- 
beetle larvie; in fact, it was chiefly through the abundance and activity 
of that ladybird that the last observed generation of asparagus beetles 
was apparently killed off upon the grounds of the Department. The 
present season M. maculata was rarely met with, while the convergent 
ladybird, Hippodamia convergens, that had been rare the previous sea- 
son, occurred in great numbers, and appeared to have killed off the 
asparagi larvee of the first brood on the Department plat in the same 
manner that the other ladybird had done the year previously. 
In the course of rearing the larve of M. maculata observations on 
periods in the development of the species were made. One individual 
was found to have pupated at 8.30 a. m., August 4, having the appear- 
ance of having transformed at least an hour earlier. August 7, at 9 
a. m., the adult was found almost fully colored, evidently having trans- 
formed several hours before, indicating the minimum period at a little 
less than three days. A second pupated August 5 in the afternoon, 
and was found transformed and fully colored on the morning of the 
8th. A third had not transformed to pupa at 5 p.m. August 5, and 
the adult insect, fully colored, was found at 3.30 p.m. August 8. 
The beetles appear occasionally to eat the pollen of asparagus. 
The convergent ladybird (Hippodamia convergens Guer.).—A larva 
of this species taken on the morning of August 1, 1896, devouring a 
Crioceris grub on the Department grounds, transformed to pupa 
August 6, and to adult on the morning of August 8, the pupal period 
having been less than three days. Temperature 85 to 92° F, 
Collops 4-maculatus Fab.—In several lots of asparagus beetles 
received at this office this little malachiid beetle was present. It was 
to be seen on every bed of asparagus that came under our observation, 
and always, too, when the asparagus beetles bred most plentifuily, but 
