a2 LIFE STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



take five years. Two or three types are familiar to 

 all; one, a large light brown insect — the domestic 

 cockroach (Periplaneta Americanus) comes to us 

 from America. Another household species is P. 

 Australasise. 



For general description and life history we shall 

 take the domestic cockroach, Periplaneta Ameri- 

 canus as a type of the whole family. This is a 

 light brown winged form, measuring over an inch 

 in length. It is frequently seen at night, suddenly 

 flying into the roorn, or running across the floor. 

 It is often met with on our footpaths in cities and 

 towns. 



The head is small and is bent under the first 

 division of the thorax, which seems to act as a 

 shield for it. 



The antennae are long and thread-like, frequently 

 much longer than the body itself. (Plate 4, Fig. i.) 



The mouth is the typical biting mouth of in- 

 sects. (Plate I, Fig. 2.) 



The tiny appendages surrounding the mouth can 

 be well seen if the insect is put on its back, and the 

 mouth just touched with a straw, when instantly 

 the jaws, maxillae and palpi will be put into motion. 



There is one pair of large compound eyes, oval 

 or slightly kidney shaped. (In some varieties two 

 ocelli or primitive eyes are present.) 



The thorax: only the first segment of the thorax 

 \t visible. This is almost triangular in shape. The 

 second and third segments are hidden under the 

 wings. 



The front pair of wings is opaque, the hind pair 



