1955] 
Badgley, Fleschner, and Hall — Spiloconis picticornis 
79 
able to pierce the scale cover and after several attempts 
will move to the edge of the scale and insert the mandibles 
between the cover and the substrate. 
When ready to pupate the fourth instar larva selects 
a crevice or crack in which to spin the cocoon. Contrary 
to the usual occurrence of two envelopes, it has been found 
that there are three distinct layers which make up the 
cocoon. The first or outer layer is loose and lace-like and 
is mostly the framework by which the cocoon is held in 
place. The second layer is also lace-like but it has a more 
definite vertical wall-like construction. The third or in- 
nermost layer is thick and closely woven. This last layer 
is the toughest of the three and is appressed to the pupa 
contained therein. The whole cocoon is irregularly circular, 
2.5 mm. to 3 mm. in diameter, and flattened, approximately 
0.5 mm. high. 
After the cocoon is spun the larva turns on its side and 
becomes quiescent. This quiescent prepupal period lasts 
from five to eight days. At the end of this period the larval 
skin is shed and the exarate pupa is exposed (fig. 3). The 
pupal stage lasts from eleven to twenty days. When the 
adult is ready to emerge the pupa cuts an irregular open- 
ing in the cocoon and crawls out, leaving the posterior 
abdominal segments in the cocoon to act as an anchor. 
Occasionally the pupa will crawl completely out of the 
cocoon. In this case emergence of the adult is completed 
with a great deal of difficulty. 
Adult . — Upon completion of emergence the adults are 
grayish in appearance, they remain in this state until 
the secretion of the wax-like coating completely covers 
the body and wings. It has been observed that a period 
as long as 48 hours may elapse before the adult begins 
to secrete the wax-like covering. 
Mating has not been observed to take place prior to 
three or four days after emergence. This period is pre- 
sumed to be the length of time required for the ovaries 
to mature. The pre-oviposition period varies from four to 
ten days. Oviposition rarely occurs before mating and 
when it does the eggs are nonviable. An occasional fe- 
male has been observed to mate more than once after 
