THE CARPET FLY. 



rs 



aid of the sucking stomach, or crop, being a sac appended to the 

 throat. Other Gad flies, but much smaller, though as annoj'iiig 

 to us in woods and fields, are the species of Golden eyed flies, 

 Chrysops, which fly and buzz interminably about our ears, often 

 taking a sudden nip. They plague cattle, settling upon them 

 and drawing their blood at their leisure. 



We turn to a comparatively unknown insect, which has occa- 

 sionally excited some distrust in the minds of housekeepers. It 

 is the carpet fly, Scenopinus pallipes (P'ig. 72), which, in the 

 larva state, is 

 found under car- 

 pets, on which it 

 is said to feed. 

 The worm (Fig. 

 73) has a long, 

 ■nriiite, cylindrical 

 body, divided into 

 twelve segments, 

 exclusive of the 

 head, while the 

 first eight abdom- 

 inal segments are ^"'' Carpet Fly. 

 divided by a transverse suture, so that there appear to be scA'en- 

 teen abdominal segments, the sutures appearing too distinct in 

 the cut. Mr. F. G. Sanborn has reared the fly,, here figured, 

 from the worm. The larva also lives in rotjten wood ; 

 it is too scarce ever tp prove very destructive in 

 houses. Either this or a similar fly was once found, 

 we are told by a scientific friend, in great numbers in 

 a "rat" used in dressing a j^oung lady's hair; the 

 worms were living upon the hair stuffing. 



One of the most puzzling objects to the collector 

 of shells or insects, is the almost spherical larva of 

 Microdon globosus (Fig. 74). It is flattened and 

 smooth beneath and seems to adhere to the under 

 side of stones, where it nnght be mistaken for a 

 snail. 



The Syrphus fly, or Aphis eater, deserves more than 



the passing notice which we bestow upon it. The 



maggot (Fig. 75, in the act of devouring an Aphis) is to be 



sought for established in a group of plant lice (Aphis), which it 



73. Carpet 

 Worm. 



