14 BULLETIN 889, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
- ADULT. | 
The adult, after issuing from the pupa, often spends a period of 
time varying from two days to several weeks in the cavity within 
the alfalfa stem. The adults arising from the first generation nearly 
all emerge within a few days after becoming mature, while those 
issuing in late fall often remain for weeks within the stems. The 
beetle escapes from the cavity by eating an irregular opening in the 
wall of the stem. This opening is usually about one-fourth larger 
than the diameter of the adult itself. 
When issuing from the pupa, the adult is very light colored. The 
wing coverings are soft and of a whitish-yellow color. The head and 
thorax are light orange; the eyes and antenne are black, which causes 
them to stand out distinctly against the general body color. In from 
4 to 6 hours the wing coverings become a shining black, and the head 
and thorax gradually turn a much darker orange color and finally red- 
dish. Usually within a day’s time the adult has completely hardened 
and taken on all the characteristic adult colors. 
In the case of the earlier generations, the adults after issuing feed 
for a period of 6 to 8 days, after which copulation takes place, and 
in from 3 to 7 days more the act of oviposition is accomplished. 
The adults often copulate several times before eggs are finally de- 
posited. | 
FEEDING HABITS OF ADULTS. 
In the past, the adults have generally been considered to feed 
upon pollen only, and while this is their important food, yet as Fol- 
som first reported, they are often, in the spring of the year, observed 
to eat the foliage of their host plant. The authors have also observed 
the adults feeding at the oviposition puncture. This fact in itself is 
significant because of the size of the opening which the female makes 
previous to oviposition. Often this opening is so large that the 
stem splits and breaks at this pomt. Although it is likely that the 
adults will feed upon pollen of almost all available blossoms, yet a 
list of those plants upon which it has been known to feed is of con- 
siderable interest. The authors have noted it feeding on the 
bloom of alfalfa, yellow sweet clover, wild barley, sunflower, and 
prickly lettuce. Other members of the Bureau of Entomology 
have made records on the feeding habits of the adults as follows: 
T. H. Parke o0 2 5 See ea ee _...Red clover. 
W. E. Penning tonite: See ee a ee eee Wheat heads. 
L, PP. Rockwood: 22245 2 bce te eee Corn silk. 
THE ADULTS SECLUSIVE. 
The adults are very seclusive in their habits. They usually make 
use of the early morning hours for their feeding, while the act of 
oviposition nearly always is accomplished in the late evening or at 
