128 
Psyche 
[Vol. 87 
The crochets and the suranal plate are as in instar one. 
The only other detailed description of a thyridid larva, is that by 
Heinrich (1921) for Meskea dyspteraria from Texas, U.S.A. It and 
Dysodia are similar, although Meskea has one more seta on the 
mesothorax ( Dysodia missing theta)', and on abdominal segment 9 
(Dysodia missing eta). 
Pupation 
Three or four days before pupation, the larva stops eating and 
contracts somewhat (Figure 4). The body color changes from white to 
yellow. The pinacula bearing the setae become brown. The integ¬ 
ument is clear at this stage, and the peripheral tracheation can be seen 
clearly. 
Larvae in captivity made pupal chambers of leaf and silk. 
However, a survey of rolled Piper and Pothomorphe leaves in the 
Laboratory Clearing did not yield any pupae, so it is likely that the 
larva either abandons its plant to construct a cocoon elsewhere, or it 
forms a cocoon which becomes detached from the foodplant before 
pupation. 
Pupa 
The pupa (Figure 15) is obtect, dark brown, 14 mm long, and 6 mm 
wide. The maxillae extend to the caudal margin of the fore wings, and 
are 9 mm long. The prothoracic legs are about half the length of the 
fore wings; their femora are exposed between the protibia and the 
maxillae. The mesothoracic legs extend to the caudal margin of the 
fore wings. The antennae reach to within 2 mm of the caudal margin 
of the fore wings. The mesothoracic spiracle (between pro- and 
mesothorax) is larger than the abdominal spiracles. The pro-, meso-, 
and metathorax are 2 mm, 3.9 mm, and 0.9 mm wide respectively. 
The cremaster bears eight hooked setae. 
Heinrich’s (1921) illustration of the pupa of Meskea is similar, but 
the maxillae are only one third the wing length. 
Diapause and Eclosion 
Two of the six individuals (nos. 4 and 7) reared to adult had pupal 
periods of about three weeks (Table 2). The other four (nos. 1, 3, 5, 
and 6) entered diapause and remained as pupae for eight to ten weeks. 
The two non-diapause individuals completed their development (egg 
to adult) in 44 and 49 days, while the four diapause individuals 
