45 



NEUROPTERA 



the young larvae were hatched they buried themselves in the earth 

 and nourished themselves with the meat or its juices. These 

 larvae (Fig. 297) bear a great resemblance to those of the Hymenop- 

 terous family Tenthredinidae ; they have biting mandibles and 

 palp-bearing maxillae, and show no approach to the peculiar 

 mouth structure found in the Hemerobiidae ; there are three x^airs 

 of feet placed on the three thoracic segments, and there is also a 

 pair of less perfect feet on each of the first eight abdominal 

 segments, those behind being the larger. The upper surface of 



Fig. 296. Bittacus tipidarius holding 

 a tiy in its hind legs. Austria. 

 (After Brauer.) 



Fig. 297. Young lai-va of 



Panorjjct communis. 

 (After Brauer.) 



the body bears spines, which, however, disappear after the first 

 change of skin, with the exception of the larger processes on the 

 posterior segment, which persist throughout the life of the larva. 

 The larvae are active for about one month ; after this they become 

 quiescent, but do not change to the pupa state for several wrecks ; 

 when this happens they change in form and cannot creep, although 

 their limbs are not enclosed in any pupa case. Brauer also dis- 

 covered larvae of Panorpa communis at large in numbers in an 

 old tree stump that was quite covered with moss, and contained 

 many ants in the mouldering wood. The ants appeared to be on 

 friendly terms with the Panorpa larvae. The earlier stages of 



