THE COCHINEAL INSECT. 



429 



THE Cercopidse, or Hoppers, are well known in Europe, mostly from the habits of the 

 larva, and the saltatorial powers of the perfect insect. The CUCKOO-SPIT, or FROG-HOP PER, 

 is very plentiful in this country, and is often a great annoyance to amateur gardeners, who 

 dislike to find their hands or faces suddenly wetted with the frothy exudations in which the 

 creature lives enshrined. The larva fixes itself upon various plants, and sucks their juices 

 through its long beak, which it plunges into the soft substance. When the accumulation of 

 froth is very great, which usually happens in the heat of the day, a drop of clear water begins 

 to form at the lowest part, into which the froth drains itself, and is presently relieved by the 

 falling of the drop. The scientific name of this inoect is Aphrophora spumaria. Another 

 species of Frog-hopper (Aphrophora goudotii), a native of Madagascar, pours out clear water 

 without the preliminary process of forming the liquid into froth. In its perfect state it can 

 leap to an extraordinary distance, the spring being so smartly made as to cause a sharp tap on 

 the object from which it leaps. As it alights it often tumbles over, and loses some little time 

 in kicking about before it can again get on its short legs. 



A SMALL but very remarkable insect is the Coccus, popularly known as the SCALE INSECT, 

 or MEALY BUG, the former title being applied to the exterior of the female, and the latter 

 given on account of the white mealy substance that is found within her body. The male of 

 this insect is winged. To gardeners the Cocci are sad pests, infesting various fruit-trees, and 

 increasing with such rapidity that their progress can scarcely be checked. The young, too, 

 are of such minute size that they can hardly be seen or destroyed. It appears, however, that 

 the most effectual way of checking their depredations is to make a kind of semi-liquid paste 

 of fine clay and water, and with a brush to wash it well into the bark of the affected trees, so 

 as to cover the insects, deprive them of air, and debar them from removing. Three or four 

 coats are necessary, in order to stop up the minute cracks which are sure to take place in the 

 drying clay, and which would afford ample opportunities of egress to these tiny creatures. 



Within the shell-like body the young Cocci are hatched, amid an abundant supply of 

 white substance, something like flour. The mother by this time has died, but her shelly skin 

 still remains, and forms a house wherein her children live until they are strong enough to enter 

 the world. They are usually hatched towards the end of June, and the young escape at the 

 end of July." 



The COCHINEAL INSECT (Coccus cacti), of which we give a very fine illustration, belongs 

 to the same genus. This species is a native of Mexico, and lives upon a kind of cactus, called, 

 from its insect guest, the Cactus cochinellifer. The wonderful amount of rich coloring matter 

 which these insects contain is well known. The beautiful colors, carmine and lake, are obtained 



COCHINEAL INSECT. Coccus cacti, (a, The insect alive upon the Opuntia, covered with its waxen sweat; b, male; c, female. The objects are 



magnified, and the lines indicate the natural size.) 



from this insect, and the best scarlets are likewise produced from the Cochineal, the difference 

 of hue being due to a mixture of chloride of tin. The trade in the Cochineal is very great; 

 and as the substance is very costly, and .permits a parcel of great value to be compressed into 

 a small bulk, it is often used in lieu of cash in mercantile transactions, and a package will go- 

 travelling backwards and forwards for a long time before it reaches its final destination. 



