306 



AN INTRODUCTION TO ENTOMOLOGY 



The larvse resemble ant-lions in the form of the body and possess 

 the same type of mouth-parts (Fig. 348). They have on each 

 segment of the body a pair of lateral finger-like appendages, 

 which are clothed with hairs. They do not dig 

 pitfalls, but lie in ambush on the surface of the 

 ground, with the body more or less covered, and 

 wait for small insects to come near them. When 

 a larva is full-grown, it spins a spherical silken 

 cocoon. An account of the life-history of one 

 of our native species, Ululodes hydlina, has been 

 published by McClendon ('02). 



The Ascalaphidae of the world have been mon- 

 ographed by H. W. Van der Weele ('08). In this 

 monograph more than two hundred species are de- 

 scribed. The members of this family are chiefly 

 tropical insects, but a few species occur in the 

 United States ; these represent three genera, which 

 ) can be separated by the following table. 



Fig. 348. — Larva of 

 Ululodes hyalina. 

 (After McClendon. 



A. Eyes entire Neuroptynx 



A A. Each eye divided into two parts by a groove. 



B. Hind margin of wings entire Ululodes 



BB. Hind margin of wings excised Colobopterus 



" Cu- 



Mx^A 



Fig. 349. — Wings of Semidalis aleurodijormis. (After Enderlein.) 



