406 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Upon close examination a delicate web was seen inclosing the base of the 

 bud and the surrounding new leaflets, resembling much the nest of a small 

 spider. When this web was removed, one or several little caterpillars were 

 seen either retreating into a mine in the bud or into the bases of the 

 leaves, which were also mined, or, not infrequently, they dropped from 

 the twig, suspending themselves by a silken thread. The bud was often 

 so hollowed that it dropped to pieces almost at a touch [see pi. 20, fig. 3]. 



At the time when they were first noticed larvae of almost all sizes were 

 to be found. Some were apparently almost full grown, while others had 

 evidently not been long hatched. The nearly full grown specimens 

 measured 8 mm (.31 inch) in length. The first pupae were obtained early 

 in June. Most of the larvae transformed within the burrows which they 

 had made, first spinning more or less of a silken envelop about them- 

 selves. Others, however, issued from their mines, and spun rather tough 

 grayish cocoons between the leaves. The pupae were short, stout, and 

 brown in color, with each segment furnished dorsally with two serrated 

 lines, one consisting of large and the other of fine teeth. 



The first moths issued June 13, the pupae having previously worked 

 their way, by means of the spines just mentioned, into such positions that 

 they could give forth the moths without injury to the latter, and a few 

 weeks later almost every shoot had one or more of the empty pupa skins 

 protruding from it. 



In the latter part of August, individuals of the second brood were very 

 abundant in the scrub pine in the vicinity of Washington. As before, they 

 were found in almost every stage of growth, and the differences were even 

 more marked. In one instance five larvae of greatly differing sizes were 

 found in one shoot. The smaller ones were boring into the bases of the 

 leaves, and the larger ones into the twig proper. The largest of the five 

 had made quite a long channel from the tip of the bud down into the heart 

 of the twig. Pupae were also found at this time, which did not give forth 

 the moth until late in the winter. 



The usual mode of hibernation is in the pupa state. A thorough 

 search in January in the field showed only pupae. The pupae collected 

 in August and September did not begin to give forth the moths in the 

 breeding cages before early January ; February and March this was con- 

 tinued through intervals, and was greatly hastened without doubt by the 

 heat of the room. On Feb. 15, however, a few twigs were collected, from 

 one of which, on Feb. 28, a full grown larva had emerged and was found 

 crawling about the cage. This would seem to indicate occasional larval, 

 hibernation. 



Parasites. Mr Scudder records the breeding of three hymenopterous 

 parasites from this insect, one a species of Bracon, another, a minute Peri- 



