90 CALIFORNIA STATE COMMISSION OF HORTICULTURE. 



that they can pierce the skin as soon as they alight, and man himself 

 often suffers from their attacks. In their larval, as well as in their 

 mature, form, these insects are carnivorous. 



The family Stratiomyiidse, or soldier-flies, is so named from the 

 bright-colored stripes borne by some members. These flies are common 

 in the vicinity of swamps, and are both carnivorous and vegetarian. 



The family Leptidae embraces the snipe-flies, so called from the fan- 

 cied resemblance to those birds, due to a lengthened abdomen. The 

 members of this family are predaceous, and frequent low shrubbery 

 and grass. The larvfe live in the earth, decaying wood, and sometimes 

 in water, and in this form they are always predaceous. 



The family Aeroeepidse are the small-headed flies, peculiar-looking 

 insects, in which the head is disproportionately small in comparison 

 Avith their bodies. 



The family NemistPinidse are medium-sized insects, some of them 

 resembling horse-tlies. 



The family Asilidae includes the robber-flies, of which there are so 

 many species, and all are predaceous, preying upon other insects. 

 They live largely upon moths, and in their larval form prey upon the 

 larvse of beetles. They are not at all discriminating in their choice of 

 food, however, and attack many insects. They are mostly large flies, 

 some species being an inch or more in length. Usually they are long, 

 with a sharp, tapering abdomen, although some species are short and 

 stout and somewhat resemble a bumblebee in form. From their preda- 

 ceous habits and their voracious appetites, they may be classed as bene- 

 ficial insects. 



The Midaidae, the midas-flies, which resemble the robber-flies some- 

 what in appearance; the Bombylidse, the bee-flies, in which family 

 there are many which strongly resemble bees in color and markings; 

 the Thepevidse, or stiletto-flies, are all families of little importance 

 except to the professional entomologist. 



The Seenopinidae, or window-flies, are so called from their habit of 

 congregating in the windows. Thej' are small insects with a long, 

 slender body, much sharper than the common house-fly, and in the 

 larval form are sometimes found under carpets and in decaying wood. 



The last family in this suborder is the Lonchoptepidse, or spear- 

 winged flies, and one of little interest to us. 



