THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



153 



THE GREEN LACEWING. 



Chrysopa californica Coq. (Family Chrysopklae). 

 (Fig. 135.) 



General Appearance. — The adult form is well known to all by its 

 delicate green lace wings and long hair-like antennge. The body is also 

 green with a longitudinal yellow stripe extending the full length on 

 the dorsum, which distinguishes this species from all other forms. 



Life History. — The eggs are oblong, pearly-white and attached to a 

 fine stalk, which suspends them nearly one half inch in the air. The 

 young vary from one eighth to nearly an inch in length; are yellow 



P 



1 I 



B 



Fig. 135. — The green lacewing {Chrysopa californica Coq.). A, larva; B, eggs 

 on the slender stalks ; C, cocoon opened ; D, cocoon closed ; E and F, adult females. 

 (Essig, P. C. Jr. Ent.) 



with reddish markings and characterized by their long sickle-like jaws. 

 The larviB are great feeders upon all small soft-bodied insects and are 

 efficient aphid destroyers. The cocoons are globular and white, being 

 fastened by supporting threads. All forms are abundant in summer 

 and may be found throughout the entire year in the southern part of 

 the State. 



Distribution. — Throughout the entire State. 



Hosts. — Preys upon all soft-bodied insects, including plant lice, mealy 

 bugs, young scales, larvae of many coccinellids and upon all of our 

 common mites. They are also cannibalistic. Their work is usually 

 the destruction of insect pests, but they often do great damage in 

 destroying the larvae of introduced ladybird beetles. The pupal forms 

 are preyed upon by internal parasites, which keep down their num- 

 bers to a considerable degree. 



