Winter Meeting. 



287 



In early summer these egg's hatch into httle mantises, which look 

 like the adults, except that they are small and have no wings. They arc 

 green in color, and busy themselves continually capturing other insects 

 that are feeding upon the trees or shrubs, or whatever plants they may 

 be on at the time. They capture and devour an immense number of 

 larvae of all kinds, and as they become older, they lie in wait for insects 

 that may approach too near them, when they suddenly throw out their 

 modified front legs and grab them, draw them up to their mouths and 

 devour them. By looking at the figure of the adult, one can see that 

 these modified front legs are formed for catching and clasping their prey. 

 Of course, the great bulk of the insects they feed upon do not need to 

 be caught in that way, as, for instance, the various larvae, which they 

 can walk up to and help themselves. 



These insects are protected by their coloring, which resembles the 

 leaves upon which they are found. Certain species are found upon the 

 ground among dead leaves, and they mimic those. 



Another insect frequently mistaken for an injurious one is shown 

 in Fig. 9, in its various stages of development. You will observe the 



Fig. 9. Wheel Bug, its larva and eggs. 



insects feeding upon caterpillars or larvae, and from which they are suck- 

 ing the blood. These insects, being quite large and very conspicuous, are 

 easily detected upon our garden plants, and when injury is being done 

 by other smaller insects, one is very apt to lay the blame upon this larger 



