INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OP CALIFORNIA. 



27 



THE LARGE RAPHIDIA 



Raphidia oblita Hagen (Family Raphidiidse) 



(Fig. 24) 



Description.— The adults of this common species may be easily dis- 

 tinguished from other lace-winged insects by the long narrow neck or 

 prothorax, which is always longer than wide. The body is black with 

 reddish-brown markings on the 

 head, thorax and with narrow 

 bands of the same color around 

 the abdomen at each joint. 

 Each wing has a prominent 

 black stigma on the front mar- 

 gin, near the tip. The antenna? 

 are nearly as long as the body. 

 The length of the body is 

 slightly more than one half inch. 

 From head to the tips of the 

 folded wings the length is 11-16 

 inch. 



Life History.— The life his- 

 tory of this insect is not well 

 known. The larvae live in the 

 soil, among refuse and under 

 the bark of trees, where they 

 feed on various soft-bodied in- 

 sects, especially the immature 

 forms, as caterpillars, grubs, 

 pupa?, etc. The adults live in 

 the grass and are quite active 

 on the wing. Like the larva?, 

 they are carnivorous and de- 

 stroy many insects. 



Hosts.— Among the hosts may 

 be included almost all of the larvae and pupa? of the smaller insects, 

 especially those transforming in the ground or under trees. Those of 

 the codlin-moth are recorded as being hosts of one of these insects. 18 



Distribution.— It is distributed throughout the State, but this species 

 seems to be more abundant in the central part. 



Fig. 24. — The large Raphidia, Raphidia 

 oblita Hagen. Enlarged twice. (Original) 



"Insect Life, III, p. 43, 1890. 



