The Golden-Eyed Lace-Winged Flies 



operation frequently takes less than a minute. The larva then 

 eats anything in the shape of a living insect which comes its way. 

 It is totally fearless, and attacks with eagerness insects much larger 

 than itself. After ten days it becomes full grown (these observa- 

 tions were made in Maryland in July) and spins up in the curl of 

 a leaf, or in any partial protection, constructing a delicate, slightly 

 oval but nearly spherical silken cocoon, which is attached to the 

 leaf by silken threads. This 

 cocoon is very small in 

 comparison with both the 

 larva which spins it and 

 the adult which emerges 

 from it, and is less than an 

 eighth ofan inch long. The 

 adult emerges in from ten 

 to fourteen days, cutting 

 off the upper end of the 

 cocoon in a neat cap. It 

 does not seem to be known 

 whether this cap is partially 

 cut by the larva, or whether, 

 as with other Neuropterous 

 insects, the pupa becomes 

 active before transforming 

 and cuts the cap through 

 which the fly emerges. 



The adult insect is pea- 

 green in color, and when 

 alive has brownish eyes 

 with greenish reflections. 

 It is very helpless, does not 



Fig. 121. — Chrysopa oculata: newly 



hatched larva, with under side of 



head and claw at side — greatly 



enlarged. (After Marlatt.) 



feed, and remains concealed in low grass during the day becom- 

 ing active in the evening and depositing its eggs at that time. 

 Helpless as it is, the disgusting odor which it emits when 

 handled is probably its chief means of protection from its 

 natural enemies. 



225 



