390 



LANTERN FLIES. 

 FAMILY FULGORIDJE. 



(Plate 51, Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12.) 



The name ''lantern fxy" was given to this group 

 owing to the fact that some of the larger insects 

 were formerly thought to be luminous. Recent 

 writers think this is not so. In New South Wales 

 our species are mostly small insects, with roof-like 

 wings frequently mottled and marked with neutral 

 tints, which make them resemble moths. 



One of the commonest species is the pale green 

 moth-like fulgorid, which hops away with a great 

 leap as soon as one touches it. The larva is pale 

 green; it feeds on the delicate parts of plants. Its 

 name is Siphanta acuta. 



Another species, whose larvae may be a pest on the 

 wistaria vine, is a mottled brown colour. The larva 

 is pale green, and secretes cottony threads and 

 has a fan-like tail of white threads from the tip 

 of the abdomen. The species is Scolypopa australis. 

 (Plate 51, Fig. 12.) 



At Bowral we noted thousands of these hoppers 

 on a grape vine. The eggs are iaid on plants. 



The beautiful red lantern fly or fulgorid called 

 Achilus flammeus is often seen around Sydney. We 

 bred out a long-nosed fulgorid (Plate 51, Figs. 9, 10 

 and 11) from a mass of ** spittle*' or froth which is 

 secreted by the larvae, and several live in this white, 

 frothy mass. We got three stages of the insects. 

 The older nymph and adult are figured. (Plate 51, 

 Fig. 11.) 



J 



