270 



INSECT TRANSFORMATIONS. 



gropes about on every side, as the Cyclops did for 

 Ulysses and his companions, till he touches one, 

 which he immediately transfixes with his trident, 

 elevates into the air, that he may not be disturbed with 

 its struggles, and soon devours. The havoc which 

 these grubs make amongst the aphides is astonish- 

 ing. It was but last week that I observed the top 

 of every young shoot of the currant-trees in my gar- 

 den curled up by myriads of these insects. On ex- 

 amining them this day, not an individual remained ; 

 but beneath each leaf are three or four full-fed larvae 

 of aphidivorous flies, surrounded with heaps of the 

 skins of the slain, the trophies of their successful war- 

 fare."* 



The larvae of the lace-winged flies {Hemerobidce, 

 Leach) are even more destructive to the aphides 

 than either of the preceding ; insomuch that Reaumur 

 was induced to call them the lions of the aphides. 

 The mandibles of the larva of Hemerobius are some- 

 what crescent-shaped, and, like those of the ant-lion. 



a, Lace-wiuged fly ; h, the gnib of the same, magnified ; c, syr- 

 phus; d, larva of the same <levourinj5 the aphides of the elder; 

 e, the head niaguificd, to show the mouth. 



* Intl., i. 261. 



