THE ORDERS OF INSECTS. 



Twenty-plume Moth, a brownish insect, common in gardens, 

 outhouses, etc. , which measures rather more than half an inch 

 across the wings. 



The Order Hemiptera includes the I Jj 



Bugs and Frog-hoppers, and belongs 

 to the Haustellate group of insects. 

 Its members feed on the juices of 

 animals or plants, which they imbibe 

 through a powerful sucking apparatus. 

 Their wings are more or less coria- 

 ceous or transparent ; and in the more 

 typical species, from which the Order Plume Moth (Pterophoms 

 derives its name, the fore wings are Lithodactylus), natural size, 

 coriaceous at the base, and transparent, like the hind wings, at 

 the extremity. Their metamorphosis is incomplete ; and some 

 species, like the common Bed Bug, are always apterous, while 

 others exhibit both an apterous and a winged form. The 

 antennae are frequently short, being composed of only a small 

 number of joints. The Pentatomida are very solidly formed, 

 compact-looking insects, with five-jointed antennae, and the 

 scutellum, a plate which extends backwards behind the thorax, 

 which is generally small in other insects, 

 extending in a triangular or nearly penta- 

 gonal form between the wings for two- 

 thirds of the length of the abdomen. These 

 bugs are found on plants ; but they feed 

 on other insects, as well as on vegetable 

 juices. There are many other Plant Bugs, 

 some of which are long and slender insects, 

 not at all like the heavy-looking Penta- 

 tomidce. Most bugs exhale a special odour, 

 different in different species, and not al- 

 ways unpleasant. The most disagreeable 

 species next to the Bed Bug is the Wheel 

 Bug (Reduvius Personafus), a black, rather 

 narrow insect, about an inch long, which 

 is common in outhouses. It feeds on other 

 insects, and the larva and pupa conceal 

 themselves from their prey by covering Water Scorpion 

 themselves thickly with dust. Among the Cinerea), natural size. 

 Water Bugs, the .Water Scorpion (Nepa Cinered) may be easily 

 recognised by its peculiar shape. It is black, with a red abdo- 

 men. The different species of Notonecta have grey fore wings 

 and transparent hind wings. They have long hind legs, with 

 which they row themselves about on their backs, 



