30 



the Syrphus Flies in their lan-al state (Fig. 21") ; Fig. 22 Fig. 19. 



represents a winged Syrphus Fly ; Di-agon Flies, &c. ; all of 

 which should be heartily encouraged by the husbandman." 

 It is a singular fact that the Lady-birds (CnccindlidcB), the 

 ■first mentioned of the foes of the Aphis, occurs at times in im- 

 mense swarms, like those of its prey to which we have already 

 referred. Vast numbers of these little beetles are sometimes found on the shores of lake* 



Fig. 20. 



Fio. 21. 



Fig. 22. 



and rivers, and along the sea coast. Kirby and Spence state that " many years ago the 

 banks of the H umber in England were so thickly strewn with the common Lady-bird, 

 that it was difficult to avoid treading upon them." On another occasion they were 

 obsen-ed in va.st numbers on the smd-hills of the sea shore in Norfolk ; again they 

 covered the cliffs of Kent and Sussex, ■' to the no small alarm of the superstitious, who 

 thought them forerunners of some direful evil I" In the summer of 1870, they were 

 observed in various parts of England in countless numbers, while some other places were 

 visited by swarms of Syrphus Flies — another enemy to the Aphis. The sudden appear- 

 ance of all these creatures is accounted for by the supposition that the simultaneous 

 hatching of a large number in one locality caused a scarcity of food there, and compelled 

 many of them to move elsewhere. On coming to some obstruction, such as the sea they 

 would accumulate in masses and so attract general attention. In Newman's Entomi^locfist 

 (No. 73, p. 16), it is stated that during the prevalence of the swarms of Lady-birds in 

 1S70, " Mr. Jansen had an apple tn-e completely covered with black aphides, the whole of 

 which were cleared off in three or four days by Coccinella septempunctata. 



We ti-ust that all who read these Reports, — farmers, g^nienere, and hop-growers 

 especially — will make it a rule never to destroy any of these most useful little creatures, 

 and will also impress upon all connected with them the importance of following their 

 example in this respect. 



2. The Hop-Yixe Sxout-Moth {Hypena humuli, Harris). 



Lepidoptera Pyralid.e. 



Next in destructiveness to the Hopaphis comes, in this country, the Snout-moth ; 

 at times, indeed, it more than rivals in its injuries the other noxious insect. In the 

 month of June, earlier or later according to the season, tlie Hop-grower may frequently 

 observe the leaves of many of his %-ines riddled with holes, or eaten down to t'le ribs. 

 On inspection, he finds a small caterpillar at work, pale green in colour, with a dark, 

 almost blackish longitudinal stripe on the back, and two narrow white lines on each side. 

 Sometimes these lines are wanting. The body is long and slender, with its wings or 

 segments very prominent ; each segment is furnished with two transverse rows of black 

 dots, from each of which proceeds a short hiir. The head is rather deeply divided into 

 two lobes, and is covered with similar dots and hairs ; the mouth is j'ellowish, with the 

 jaws tipped with black. L'nlike the majority of caterpillars, this creature is furnished 

 with only seven instead of eight pairs of legs, being destitute of the first pair of pro-legs 

 beneath the middle of the body. The result of this deficiency is tiiat the caterpillar is 

 obliged to loop itself up to a slight extent when crawling, though not to the same degree 

 as the Geometer or measuring worms, {Geomdrida^. WTJien fully grown it is over half an 

 inch in length. It is a particularly active creature, and when disturbed jerks its body 

 from side to side, and leaps from one spot to another ; it is also able to let it.self down 



