. Bulletin. Insects; Insect pests; Entomology; Insects; Insect pests; Entomology. METHOD (?F INSERTING THE EGGS. 109 METHOD OF INSERTING THE EGGS. The work of the female Cicada in inserting her eggs is an interesting subject for study, and so little does she mind the presence of an observer that the operation can be closely watched without her exhib- itmg any alarm. The position taken is almost invariably with the head upward or directed toward the tip of the branch, the work being steadily prosecuted in that direction. Wlien her course is interfered with b}^ the occurrence of side shoots, ins
. Bulletin. Insects; Insect pests; Entomology; Insects; Insect pests; Entomology. METHOD (?F INSERTING THE EGGS. 109 METHOD OF INSERTING THE EGGS. The work of the female Cicada in inserting her eggs is an interesting subject for study, and so little does she mind the presence of an observer that the operation can be closely watched without her exhib- itmg any alarm. The position taken is almost invariably with the head upward or directed toward the tip of the branch, the work being steadily prosecuted in that direction. Wlien her course is interfered with b}^ the occurrence of side shoots, instead of moving to one side or the other she reverses her position and thus extends her row of punctures in a straight line completely to the base of the intervening shoot. The branch selected is ordinarily of a size which the female can surround and clasp firmly with her legs to give her the strong attachment necessary to enable her to force her ovipositor into the woody tissues. The exact method of making the egg fissure and depositing the eggs has hitherto, in the main, been either ver}^ briefly referred to, or the actions of the insect have been inaccurately inter- preted. The descrip- tion of this process, hitherto generally ac- cepted and quoted, is that given b}^ Doc- tor. Harris, substan- tially as follows: Raising her body somewhat above the twig, the point of her ovipositor is brought to bear on the bark at an angle of 45 degrees, and is thrust slowly and repeatedly into the bark and wood, the two lateral saws working in alternation. When fully inserted the instru- ment is pried upward by a motion of the abdomen, raising and loosen- ing in this way little fibers of wood which, remaining attached, form a sort of covering for the egg fissure or nest. The cutting normally extends nearly to the pith or about one-twelfth of an inch in depth, and is continued until space is made to receive from ten to twenty eggs. After preparing the egg nest as described, the female moves b
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