Feb. 17,1933 
Aplastomorpha vandinei Tucker 
551 
Since the gelatin capsules were transparent, every phase of the attack 
and oviposition was clearly visible. After oviposition had taken place 
the capsules were removed and kept for observation. The eggs hatched 
and the young parasitic grubs developed to maturity in a perfectly 
normal manner, all changes being readily observed. 
In addition to being able to observe the development of the parasites 
it was a simple matter to count the number of eggs deposited daily by 
individual parasites. 
It was found that by pricking small holes through the shell of the 
capsules in the vicinity of the enclosed larvae, the parasites would avail 
themselves of the holes to attack the larvae and deposit eggs instead of 
going to the trouble of boring through the gelatin. 
The parasites were fed on a sirup made from sugar and water. 
LIFE HISTORY OF PARASITE 
COPULATION 
Copulation normally takes place shortly after emergence. Sex attrac¬ 
tion is weak, the male showing no evidence of interest except when in 
close proximity to the female. In captivity the female more often seeks 
the male at first, moving around in the proximity of the male and stop¬ 
ping to preen her wings and body. After becoming conscious of her 
presence the male evinces signs of excitement, follows her about, and 
springs to her back. He then caresses antennae with her for a brief 
period before copulating. In the act of copulation the female tilts her 
abdomen, and the abdomen of the male is curved down at one side of 
or directly over the end of the abdomen of the female while he clings to 
her wings and body. Copulation lasts for from 5 to 35 seconds. 
OVIPOSITION 
Oviposition usually begins on the first or second day after the emer¬ 
gence of the female, although it may begin the day of emergence. The 
stage of the host attacked is apparently of no great moment as long as 
it is large enough to permit the parasitic grub to develop to maturity. 
The fourth larval, prepupal, and pupal stages are all attacked, though 
the preference seems to lie with the larval stage. 
The female parasite crawls around over the infested grain, exploring 
carefully the surface of the grain with the tips of her antennae. Possibly 
the movements of the feeding weevil grub are detected by the sensitive 
tips of the antennae; at any rate, the position of the grub is soon located. 
The ovipositor is brought into position with the tip of the abdomen, 
thrust through the shell of the grain, and plunged into the weevil grub. 
The ovipositor is apparently whipped around just under the skin until 
the grub is reduced to a paralyzed or quiescent state. The ovipositor 
is then withdrawn. It is again thrust through the shell of the grain and 
an egg is deposited on the exterior of the grub or in close proximity to it. 
Only one egg is deposited at a time and usually but one egg is deposited 
with each larva or pupa attacked. With the parasites under observation 
it was not uncommon for two, three, four, or even more eggs to be de¬ 
posited on one larva, but this was probably due in part to lie effects of 
confinement and the limited supply of host material. 
When several eggs are deposited on a single host grub it is rarely that 
more than one parasite reaches maturity; the writer has, however, 
observed a few instances where two parasites were reared on the same 
host. 
