NEUROPTERA 71 



wards each end (Fig. 115). The mouth-parts are large and powerful and 

 are of the piercing and sucking type; they are described on page 66. 

 The pupa state is passed in a spherical cocoon, made of sand fastened to- 

 gether with silk, and neatly lined with the same material (Fig. 115). 



The life-histories of comparatively few of the species are known; 

 but certain species, the larvae of which dig pitfalls in sandy places, have 

 attracted much attention since the earliest days of entomology. 



Ant-lions are much more common in the southern and southwestern 

 States than they are in the North. The pitfalls of the larvae are usually 

 found in sandy places that are protected from rain, as beneath buildings 

 or overhanging rocks. In making these pitfalls the sand is thrown out 

 by an upward jerk of the head, this part of the body serving as a shovel. 

 The pits differ greatly in depth, according to the nature of the soil in 

 which they are made. Their sides are as steep as the sand will lie. 

 When an ant or other wingless insect 

 steps upon the brink of one of these 

 pits, the sand crumbles beneath its 

 feet, and it is precipitated into the 

 jaws of the ant-lion, which is buried 

 in the sand, with its jaws at the 

 bottom of the pit (Fig. 116). In case 

 the ant does not fall to the bottom of „. , „ , ,. 



,. •, ,1 ,1- 1 • .,1 riG. 116. — Pitfall of an Ant-lion. 



the pit, the ant-lion undermines it by 



throwing out some sand beneath it. These larvae can be easily kept in 



a dish of sand, and their habits watched. 



The most common ant-lion in the North is Myrmeleon immaculatus ; 

 the larva of this species makes a pitfall. 



For a fuller account of the following families of the Neuroptera the 

 student is referred to "An Introduction to Entomology" by John Henry 

 Comstock. 



Family Raphidiid^e 



The Snake-flies 



i e l% e . ll7 '~ Raphidia ' The members of the Raphidiidse are found in this 

 country only in the far West. They are strange- 

 appearing insects, the prothorax being greatly elongated, like the neck 

 of a camel (Fig. 117). 



Family Mantispidje 



The Mantis-like Nenropterons 



The members of the Mantispidae are 

 even more strange in appearance than are 

 those of the preceding family. Here, as in 

 that family, the prothorax is greatly elon- 

 gated; but the members of this family can 

 be easily recognized by their remarkable fore 

 legs, which are greatly enlarged and resemble 

 those of the praying mantes in form (Fig\ , FlG -. " 8 - ~ M «»<«/><j. in the specimen 



TT n\ <t>i 1 £,, i/- . . ° figured the fore legs were twisted somewhat 



T 15;. I nese legs are fitted tor Seizing prey. in order to show the form of the parts. 



