202 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XIV, No. s 
not possess the elongate fossae found in some species of the genus; segment 2 and beyond 
very smooth and shining; segment 1 nearly as long as the remainder of the abdomen; 
its basal half always pale yellowish, its apical half usually blackish, except extreme 
apical margin which is yellowish; the second segment commonly with a large blackish 
or brownish spot on each side, the two occasionally merging, but usually leaving the 
middle of the segment yellow; beyond the second segment the abdomen is more or 
less blackish, sometimes entirely black. Ovipositor about one-half the length of the 
abdomen. 
SEASONAL AND LIFE HISTORY OF METEORUS VERSICOLOR. 
THE EGG. 
Like Apanteles lacieicolor, M . versicolor oviposits in the small brown- 
tail-moth caterpillars during August and early September. Like A . 
lacieicolor , too, M. versicolor deposits only a single egg with each thrust 
of the ovipositor, although a number of caterpillars may be attacked 
within a very few minutes. Oviposition by this species is very deliberate. 
The parasite (PI. 22, A), slowly bending the abdomen downward and for¬ 
ward so that the ovipositor is parallel with the venter and projects between 
the anterior legs, advances stealthily toward her victim. On reaching the 
larva she remains perfectly motionless for a moment or two, apparently 
waiting for the caterpillar to make some movement; then, with a quick 
forward thrust, she inserts the ovipositor, and almost at once withdraws 
it again, having left an egg in the body of the caterpillar. The egg (PI. 22, 
B) is a minute, pale brownish-yellow, oval body, about 0.2 mm. in length, 
with a prominent stalk, 0.1 mm. long, at the end opposite the micropile; 
the surface is marked off in minute hexagonal areas. It increases much 
in size, until 5 or 6 days after deposition, when the larva is ready to issue 
(PI. 22, C), it measures 0.6 to 0.75 mm. in length, exclusive of the stalk, 
which has not increased in size, and about 0.55 mm. in breadth. Shortly 
before it is ready to issue from the egg the larva of M. versicolor becomes 
very active, as can be observed easily under magnification, the chorion 
now being transparent. After lashing about with its long caudal append¬ 
age for some little time, it finally breaks out and floats free in the body 
cavity of its host. 
HIBERNATING LARVA OR METEORUS VERSICOLOR 
At the time the larva issues from the egg its total length is about 1.5 
mm. The striking features of this stage are the long caudal horn, 0.6 
mm. in length, and the large, brown, heavily chitinized head capsule 
containing a pair of strong curved mandibles. The caudal appendage is 
merely a fleshy extension, obviously to aid the larva in getting out of 
the egg and later in locomotion. It does not have the significance of the 
anal vesicle of the larva of A . lacieicolor , for in M. versicolor there is no 
need of a special respiratory device, the tracheal system being already 
developed in the first-stage larva. This larva feeds very slightly in 
the fall, increasing scarcely at all in size, and passes the winter in the 
