380 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXI, No. 6 
Adults of Anastatus semiflavidus were kept alive for long periods in this 
type of cage, provided proper care was exercised in its maintenance. The 
honey solution was kept fresh, a new supply being prepared every few 
days, as experience demonstrated that a rancid or moldy condition of the 
food caused the death of the Hymenoptera. The interior of the cage was 
kept strictly clean and free from all particles of dirt or other foreign 
matter that would entangle the insects. 
The direct rays of the sun proved fatal to the confined insects, so it was 
necessary to keep the cages in a shaded location. 
HABITS 
FERTILIZATION 
The union of the sexes and the fertilization of the female take place 
in the manner common to most chalcids soon after the adults emerge 
and last but a few seconds. 
When this species was first reared from Hemileuca oliviae eggs, it was 
thought that the male and female A nastatus semiflavidus were separate 
species. Each sex was accordingly exposed to eggs of H, oliviae in 
separate cages for the purpose of securing, life-history records. Under 
these conditions, the species proved parthenogenetic, as all the progeny of 
the unmated female A . semiflavidus were males. 
oviposition 
The process of oviposition was often observed in life-history cages. 
In one instance, a female of Anastatus semiflavidus was introduced into 
a glass vial cage containing a Hemileuca oliviae egg cluster known to 
have been deposited 2 days previously. This female had been confined 
in a stock cage containing many adults of both sexes and had probably 
been fertilized. It had not previously been exposed to any eggs of its 
host. Immediately upon being introduced into the cage, the female 
began examining the egg cluster, running over the surface of the eggs 
and feeling them with her antennae. After 2 or 3 minutes she apparently 
selected an egg that suited her purpose and began making preparations 
to oviposit. V. L. Wildermuth then took this female under observation 
and through the binocular microscope observed the details of the process 
of oviposition. He states that in the two instances under his observa¬ 
tion the female drilled a hole in the shell of the egg with her ovipositor 
in 15 and 20 minutes, respectively, after which an egg was apparently 
deposited in each instance. Mr. Wildermuth then directed the writer 
to observe the details of oviposition and to describe the same. After a 
short interval this cage was again examined by the writer, and soon 
the female was observed making preparations to oviposit. 
Through the binocular microscope, it was seen that the female was 
poised over the selected egg, the legs being strongly braced against the 
sides of the adjoining eggs, and most of the pressure being exerted 
