108 BRITISH APHIDES. 



The empty egg-membranes, after the hatching of the 

 larvse, may often be found in a perforated condition. 



The larvae are very serviceable to the agriculturist, 

 for they, like the Syrphidce, are wonderfully voracious. 

 They feed principally, but not exclusively, on Aphides ; 

 when this food fails they will attack and devour each 

 other. The body is long and distinctly marked by 

 segments. The head is armed with mandibles, which 

 are not perforated, as Reaumur supposed, but grooved 

 on their under surfaces, and the large maxillas play 

 within these grooves. The oesophagus appears to 

 have no superior outlet, except at the orifices of these 

 channels. 



The larvge of Chrijsopa have the singular habit of 

 decking themselves with the skins of their victims, 

 piling them on their backs like trophies. Thus, 

 Reaumur likens them to the skin of the Nemean lion 

 worn by Hercules. The segments of some species of 

 Chrysopa are furnished with peduncles, which end with 

 strong bristles like hayforks. These retain the Aphis 

 skins in their place, and allow a vast heap to be con- 

 structed which almost wholly conceals the larva. 

 Notwithstanding this encumbrance the insect moves 

 with much activity amongst the Aphis swarms, and the 

 grey mass might well be taken for a piece of lichen. 



When an Aphis is seized, it is held between the palpi 

 and mandibles. It is pierced, rolled, and mumbled, 

 until every trace of nutritive moisture is extracted. 

 The head of the Chrysopa is then thrown back, and the 

 Aphis skin carefully disposed amongst the rest of the 

 heap, which moves about like a pile of dust. A friend 

 remarks that the promptitude and fury shown in 

 seizing its prey is best likened to the violent shake 

 given by a terrier-dog or a weasel in its attack. 



During the summer months the larva does not 

 require more than fifteen days to arrive at its full 

 growth. It then spins a cocoon, in which the inactive 

 pupa passes the winter. In the early spring the 



