288 



Slate Ilorticnllnral Socictv. 



and more conspicuous one, and he suffers accordingly. I think that 

 from the illustration you can recognize this insect hereafter and not kill 

 it. This insect is known as the Assassin or Wheel Bug. Two other 

 very common Assassin Bugs are shown in Figs. lo and ii. 



Fig. 11. Banded Bug. 

 h, beak magnified. 



Fig. 10. Tliiek-thighed Soldier-bug. 



The Lace-winged Fly, which is shown somewhat enlarged in Fig. 

 12, is another very beneficial insect, especially in that it feeds, in the 



^ 



^1 



*.««'^ 



o 



Fig. 13. Lacc-wiag Fly, eggs and hirva. 



larval condition (which is also there shown), upon plant lice. The adult 

 insect is a very delicate, light greenish lace-winged insect, that may be 

 seen flying leisurely above the plants when they are disturbed. They 

 lay their eggs upon the leaves and twigs of the plants infested with the 

 plant lice. A cluster of these eggs upon stalks, as they always are, is 

 shown in the illustration. The larvae (also shown in the illustration, 

 but enlarged about two times), in feeding upon plant lice, kill a great 

 many more than they really need for food. They seem to have a per- 

 fect mania for going about and killing these plant lice. Of course, so 

 far as man is concerned, it is fortunate for us that they do possess that 

 peculiarity. You can all observe them if you will unfold a curled-up 

 leaf which has been folded on account of the presence of aphids. When 

 the larvae become full grown, they make a cocoon inside the curled-up 



