Mr. CuRTls's Obfervat'tom on Aphides. 87 



very numerous, they contribute wonderfully to diminifh the nunnber 

 oi Aphides. There is a faying which humanity has put into the 

 mouths of children in favour of this infecl *, now rei>dered more 

 facred by its great utility, which has happily rendered it a fort of 

 •favourite with them, and contributes ufually to its efcape from their 

 dangerous clutches. Another moft formidable enemy to the Aphis 

 is a very minute, black and flender Ichneumon fly, the Ichneumon 

 ^"Iphidum of I. \nnxus. The manner in which this infc£l proses fo 

 dcftrudive to the Aphis is different from that of the Lady-bird. The 

 female Ichneumon, of which numbers may be found where Aphides 

 are in plenty, fettles on a ftalk, or leaf, more or lefs covered with 

 them, marches flowly over their bodies, feeling with its antennce as 

 it proceeds for one of a fuitable fize and age; which having difco- 

 vered, it puihes forward its body, or abdomen, in an incurved flate, 

 and with a fine infttumcnt at its extremity, invifiblc to the naked 

 eve, puncSlures, and depofits an egg in, the body of the Aphis-, 

 which having done, it proceeds, and lays an egg in a fimilar way in 

 the bodies of many others. The egg thus depofited quickly hatches, 

 and becomes a fmall larva, or maggot, which feeds on the fubftance 

 Qf the Aphis, and, having eaten the whole of it, the" (kin excepted, it 

 changes to a pupa^ or chryfalis; in which ftate when it has re- 

 mained a fufficient time, it becomes an Ichneumon fly, which eats its 

 way out of the Aphis, leaving the dry inflated fltin of the infetl 

 adhering to the leaf, like a_ fmall pearl. Such may always be found 

 where Aphides are in plenty. We have obferyed different fpecies of 

 Aphides to be infefled with dift'erent Ichneumons. 



In general the torpid Aphis fubmits quietly to this fatal operation ; 

 but w(? h'Vve pbi(«fy;?dj|pn:^c of. thpjpjj efp^ciajly pne that feeds on the 



•• " i'---'^' ••■■'. ■' •":■!■ -;!....:'. ■, , j 



• " Lady-bird, hcly-biid, fly away liome ! Your houfe is on fire, your children at home " 



fycuinore, 



