76 
Psyche 
[June 
are flat and scale-like. The chorion is strongly reticulate. 
The reticulations are often stretched and even obliterated 
during deposition if the egg is not supported. In many 
instances the eggs follow the contour of the surface upon 
which they are laid, and are thus distorted from the usual 
shape. The color of the eggs varies from straw-yellow to 
pink or pale purple. The straw-yellow colored eggs usually 
turn pinkish between 12 and 14 days after deposition. The 
pink or light purple eggs show no change except for the 
appearance of the eye spots which begin to show up 10 
to 12 days after deposition. The length of the egg stage 
is rather consistent at 16 days. 
Larvae . — As in most Neuroptera the larvae emerge from 
the egg by means of an egg burster. In this species the 
egg burster is attached to the hatching membrane which 
is shed immediately after the egg is broken. While still 
in the egg the larva is lying on its back with the head 
curved forward and down between the legs. The egg 
burster is located on the top of the head and projects 
upward over the mouthparts. Hatching is facilitated by 
the movement of the head, which manipulates the egg 
burster, thus breaking the chorion. The hatching mem- 
brane remains attached to the inside of the egg. 
The larvae are shortly fusiform, the widest part being 
the thorax. In color they vary from creamy white to 
pink. The darker characteristic color pattern is confined 
to the lateral margins of the body (see fig. 1). The mature 
larvae are generally more uniformly pinkish-purple with 
small white markings as well as the dark lateral areas. 
The gut contents are clearly visible as a central, reddish- 
brown stripe. The integument of the dorsum of the body 
and head is very minutely murioate, the points being four 
and five sided. The venter is nearly smooth. Each ab- 
dominal segment bears eight pairs of minute squamiform 
setae (fig. 2) in addition to two pairs of simple setae; 
Explanation of Plate 8 
Figure 1. Mature fourth instar larva of S. picticornis. Figure 2. En- 
larged drawing of a dorsal squamiform setae. Figure 3. Exarate pupa 
of S. picticornis showing the attached last larval molt skin. 
