INTRODUCTION 23 



(a) Aptera (no wings), diminutive, wingless insects pro- 

 vided with three pairs of legs and often large antennae. 



(6) Orthoptera (straight wings), locusts, cockroaches, ear- 

 wigs, etc., have four wings, the front pair usually leathery, 

 with comparatively straight veins, the hind pair fan-shaped 

 with radiating and concentric veins. They have biting 

 mouths. 



For the most part, the members of this order are exceed- 

 ingly active, jumping and flying well ; but some of them, 

 on the other hand, are sluggish and also wingless. The 

 grasshoppers and locusts, Locustidce and Acridiidce, are 

 very similar in habit, though, as a rule, the former lay 

 their eggs on foliage, the latter in holes in the ground. 

 The crickets, Gryllidw, and earwigs, Forficulidce, usually 

 frequent damp places and are fond of hiding under stones, 

 wood, etc. The cockroaches, Blattidce, are household insects 

 in this country, but, in other countries, Australia, for 

 example, many species are found far from any habitation. 

 The mantids, Mantidw, and stick insects, Phasmidce, have 

 many points in common ; both have a coloration adapted 

 to their surroundings; the green species frequent green 

 foliage, the brown species hide on dead leaves. The 

 mantids, however, are carnivorous, whilst the stick insects 

 are strictly vegetarian. 



The termites, Termitidce, form a connecting link between 

 the Orthoptera and (c) Neuroptera (nerve wings), lace 

 wings, etc. Their two pairs of wings are more or less 

 uniform and much veined, whilst their mouths are adapted 

 for biting. 



This order is comprised of insects with very dissimilar 

 habits, especially in their early stages. Larval ant-lions 

 hide at the bottom of funnel-shaped pits, which they dig 

 in the ground and there await their prey some luckless 

 insect that falls into the pit. Lace-wing fly larvae crawl 

 about among foliage seeking their prey, which consists of 

 aphides and scale insects. Many members of the order are 



