100 APPLE LEAVES LADY-BIRDS.. 



approach of a fly or other insect, the pupa gives a s jdden spiteful, 

 jerk, by which to frighten the intruder away, and if this fails, by 

 a sudden spring it elevates itself so as to stand out at right angles- 

 from the surface to which it is attached, remaining motionless in 

 this posture about half a minute, when by a similar spasmodic 

 snap it returns to its usual position. 



The insect remains dormant in its pupa state about a fortnight,, 

 when its hard exterior shell cracks open, and from it crawls a 

 small shining beetle nearly the size and shape of a half pea ? 

 though often much smaller than this. The species generally are 

 prettily colored, being bright red, yellow or white, with black 

 spots, or black with red or yellow spots. These different spots- 

 and colors serve as marks whereby to distinguish the different 

 species, of which nearly a hundred are named and described, in- 

 habiting the United States. The perfect insects subsist upon 

 plant-lice also, though they pursue and devour them with less 

 avidity than when in the larva stage of their lives. They may 

 always be met with where plant-lice abound, and I have known 

 persons who supposed that it was these insects which bred 

 the plant-lice, and who consequently made it a point to destroy 

 every one which they could discover upon the currant bushes, 

 cherry trees, &.c, in their yarus, and who were surprised to find 

 that notwithstanding all their care and pains in searching out 

 and destroying these " old ones," their shrubs and trees appeared 

 every year to be worse infested with lice than were those of their 

 neighbors. This fact is but one of a multitude which might be 

 adduced, showing to what sad mistakes ignorance leads, and how 

 important it is that information with respect to our insects and 

 their habits should be diffused among our citizens. 



Other inveterate enemies of the plant-lice are certain two- 

 winged flies pertaining to the Family Syrphid^, in the Order Dip- 

 tera, which family has the genus Syrphus as its type. These 

 flies resemble our common house-fly in size and shape but are 

 much handsomer, being of a bright yellow color with various 

 spots and bands of black, according to the species. They may 

 frequently be seen in summer hovering around and alighting 



