A tiny, tree-living thrips is the first species identified that can reproduce both by laying eggs and by bearing live young, although for any one instance of reproduction, a given female will use only one of the two methods. Interestingly, biologists have observed that all of the offspring of this insect that are hatched from eggs are females, and all of the offspring that are live-born are males. It has also been noted that any particular live-born brood will comprise fewer individuals than any particular brood hatched from eggs. However, a much larger proportion of male offspring than of female offspring survives to adulthood, and among thrips reaching adulthood the ratio of males to females is about even. Which one of the following can be properly inferred about the species of thrips described in the passage? ['Any female of the species that can reproduce by laying eggs can also reproduce by bearing live young but not necessarily vice versa.', 'There are females that use only one of the two methods of reproduction over the course of their lives.', 'On average, across the species, more of the offspring are born by hatching from eggs than are born live.', 'For the species as a whole, there are, over time, about as many instances of live-born broods as there are broods hatched from eggs.']