THE SQUASH LADYBIRD. 15 



Bath von cites an interesting instance of the capture of u between 

 four and five hundred of these beetles, in the month of March, under the 

 bark of an old tree that stood in a field where corn and! pumpkins had 

 been cropped the preceding year. * # * Perhaps fifty of them had 

 crawled out and were basking in the sun." 



NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY. 



The first adults observed in the vicinity of the District of Columbia 

 during the season of 1897 were seen June 25, but there is no doubt that 

 they occur earlier, as beetles are stated to appear near New York City 

 early in June. Newly hatched larvse were found July 1. 



Eggs deposited in confinement June 26 hatched July 3, or in seven 

 days 5 temperature, 80°. F. 



To ascertain the other periods of the insect, adults were placed June 

 26 upon squash vines on our experimental plat, that were free from this 

 insect, and it is presumed that eggs were laid the first day. Of this 

 lot some larva3 had attained full growth by the 18th of July, or in 

 twenty two days. One individual was noticed to cease feeding at this 

 date and attach itself to a leaf, and the following day it transformed 

 to pupa. From this pupa the first adult of the first brood issued July 

 25, six days from the time it had transformed to pupa ; weather reason- 

 ably warm, 84° to 88° F. This gives a period of development as follows : 

 Egg, seven days; larva, sixteen days; pupa, six days — a total of 

 twenty-nine days from egg to beetle. 



Writing in 1883, Prof. G. H. French estimated that in Carbondale, 111., 

 this species has a period from the egg to the imago of thirty-five days. 

 As this insect occurs in colder climates and the minimum midsummer 

 periods of development were not observed, we have for the species an 

 approximate development: For the egg, six to nine days; larva, six- 

 teen to twenty-four days; pupa, six to nine days. 



French does not state definitely how many times the larva molts, but 

 as he speaks of four larval periods it is to be presumed that three are 

 assumed. Eathvon, some of whose statements, it must be said, have 

 to be taken cum grano sails, as the data furnished are really insufficient 

 for the establishment of the facts, says: "The larva molts five times 

 (perhaps more)." 



NUMBER OF GENERATIONS ANNUALLY. 



Experience has shown that if we would have the proper regard for 

 accuracy the statements of many of the earlier writers (and some of 

 the later ones) must not always be interpreted literally. Too often an 

 account of an insect is written in florid style and too frequently con- 

 clusions are based upon the most superficial observation. Thus it hap- 

 pens that Moore was led astray when he stated that this insect "may 

 be found upon the squash vine of all ages at once from the first of July 

 to the middle of October, showing that many successive broods are 



