218 INSECTS AT H0M3. 



sluggish a creature as can be imagined, and mncli more likely 

 to be eaten itself than to eat other insects. Yet, with all 

 this innocence of aspect, it is so ruthless a destroyer of animal 

 life, that if a few of them be placed on a bush or plant whio 

 is infested with aphides, in a day or two not an aphis will 

 be left. 



Especially is the Lady-bird useful in those parts of the coimtry 

 where hops are grown. There is an aphis which feeds specially 

 upon this plant, and which has been known to destroy whole 

 plantations in a single season, causing the greatest distress 

 among the multitudes whose living depends more or less directly 

 upon the hop. Fortunately, the Lady-bird — usually the little 

 Tayo-Spot Ladt-bird {Coccinella bipunctata) — comes to the 

 rescue, and follows the aphides wherever they are most plenti- 

 ful. The mother insect lays her eggs in packets among the 

 aphides, and, as soon as the young larvae are able to move 

 about, they begin to feed upon the insects near where they 

 have been placed. 



In some seasons the swarms of Lady-birds almost exceed 

 belief. I have seen the streets absolutely red with them, and 

 the houses covered with their multitudes, while within doors a 

 thick band of Lady-birds ran along the angle of the walls 

 and ceiling like a red cable, large bunches hanging in each 

 corner. These insects very well illustrated the adage that 

 ' dirt is only matter in the wrong place.' Nothing could be 

 more beneficial than their presence in the locality, as it was 

 situated in the very midst of hop gardens, and by their means 

 the year's harvest was saved from destruction. But, though 

 they were very much wanted out of doors, they were not at all 

 wanted inside the house, especially as Lady-birds have a very 

 unpleasant odour, which, when multiplied by tens of thousands, 

 becomes almost unbearable. Even after the rooms had been 

 cleared, they were almost uninhabitable, and the more so that 

 it was impossible to keep tlie windows open, because the Lady- 

 birds flocked into the room in swarms, and would soon have 

 replaced those wliich had been ejected. Even throughout the 

 -winter many of them retained their positions, having been 

 kej)t alive by the warmth of the fire. 



When the larva is full-fed, it attaches itself to a twig or leaf 

 vJay the. end of its tail, and thus hangs with its head downwards. 



