COLLECTING AND PKESERVING INSECTS BANKS. 



17 



Fig. 29.— One of the Thysanoptera, Thrips tabaci: 

 a, Adult; 6, antenna of same; c, young larva; d, 



FULL-GROWN LARVA. 



gramite fly, whose larva, known as the Dobson, is to be found in 

 most of our running streams. The insects of the suborder Stegoptera 

 are smaller, more delicate insects, which fold their wings roof-like 

 over the body. The ant-lion (lies (Myrmeleons) (fig. 30), whose 

 larvae (fig. 31) make funnel-shaped pits in sand in the bottom of 

 which they wait with ex- 

 tended jaws for any small 

 insects that may tumble into 

 the trap, belong to this 

 group. The gauzy lacewing 

 flies (Chrysopa) (fig. 32) or 

 "golden e} r es," have a 

 spindle-shaped predaceous 

 larva which wanders over 

 leaves in search of plant-lice. 

 The parent fly of many 



species deposits the eggs in clusters at the tips of slender wiry stalks. 

 Some of the species have an extremely vile odor. The Mantispidse 

 (fig. 153) have the front legs enlarged and spiny, with which they 

 catch small insects. The young are parasitic in egg sacs of wan- 

 dering spiders. The suborder Mecaptera (Panorpida^) (fig. 154) are 



flies having the head prolonged 

 below. The body is slender and 

 cylindrical. In the male it ter- 

 minates in a pair of large claspers, 

 from which these insects obtain 

 the common name of " scorpion- 

 flies." They catch and eat small 

 insects. Their larvae resemble 

 the true caterpillars, but have 

 eight pairs of abdominal legs. These larvae live in the soil and are 

 predaceous, but are very rarety found, although the adult flies are 

 common in the Eastern States. 



COLEOPTERA. 



The Coleoptera, or beetles, as they are universally called, are the 

 insects most common to all observers. Their fore-wings, 

 called elytra (singular, elytron) are hard or leathery, and 

 when at rest meet down a straight line on the back. They 

 show few traces of veins, and beneath them arc folded the 

 other wings, which, though of moderate size, arc sufficient 

 for good flight. In numbers the beetles outrank all other 

 orders. Some, if not the largest, are the weightiest of insects, 

 and others are so tiny as to be scarcely visible to the unaided 

 eye. The ease with which they may be collected and preserved, 

 together with the bright colors of many species, have made the order 

 a very popular one with collectors. 



Fig. 30.— An ant-lion, or Myrmeleon 

 Packard.) 



(From 



Fig. 31. A 



Myrmeleon 



i a i: \ \. 



