204 



INSECT CALENDAR. 



249. Coccinella and 

 Young. 



of the Plant lice now abound ; such are the Lady bugs (Cocci- 

 nella, Fig. 249) ; the larva of the Syrphus fly (Fig. 76), which 

 devours immense quantities, and the larva of the Golden-eyed, 

 Lace-winged fly (Clirysopa, Fig. 256). 



The last days of June are literally the heyday and jubilee of 

 insect life. The entomological world holds high carnival, though 

 in this country they are, perhaps, more given to mass-meetings 

 and caucuses. The earth, the air, and the 

 water teem with insect life. The insects 

 of mid-summer now appear. Among the 

 butterflies, the Wood Satyrus (Neonympha 

 Eurythris) skips in its low flight tlirough 

 the pines. The larva of Grapta Progne 

 appears on the currants, and feeds beneath 

 the leaves on hot sunny days. The larva 

 of Cynthia cardui may be found on the hollyhocks; the pupa 

 state lasts twelve days, the butterfly appearing in the middle 

 or last of July. The Hyphantria textor now lays its smooth, 

 spherical eggs in broad patches on the under side of tlie leaves 

 of the apple, which the caterpillar will ravage in August; and 

 its ally, the Halesidota caryre, we have found ovipositing the 

 last week in the month on the leaves of the butternut. The 

 Squash bug, Coreus (Gonocerus) tristis (Fig. 250) is now very 

 abundant, gathering about the roots of the squash vines, often 

 in immense numbers, blackening the stems with 

 their dark, blackish-brown bodies. This insect 

 is easily distinguished from the yellow striped 

 Squash beetle previously mentioned, by its much 

 greater size, and its entirely dlflerent structure 

 and habits. It is a true bug (Hemipter, of which 

 the bed-bug is an example), piercing the leaves 



and stalks, and drawing out the sap with its long 



. " 250. Squash Bug. 



sucker. 



In June, also, we have found that beautiful butterfly, Mllitaja 

 Phaeton rising from the low, cold swamps. Its larva transforms 

 early in June or the last week In May, into a beautiful chrysalis. 

 The larva hibernates through the winter, and may be found 

 early in spring feeding on the leaves of the aster, the Viburnum 

 dentatum and hazel. It is black and deep orange-red, with 

 long, thick-set, black spines. 



The Currant borer, Trochilium tipuliforme (Fig. 251), a beau- 



