NEUROPTEROID ORDERS 



45 



swiftly running water and 

 Fishermen prize them 

 for bass bait. As it 

 takes them three years 

 to mature they may be 

 found at all seasons of 

 the year, either in the 

 water or under stones 

 near the water's edge. 

 The adults are attracted 

 to the lights during June 

 and July. 



Several other species 

 of this family (Sialidce), 

 are aquatic, but most of 

 the remaining Neurop- 

 tera are found on land 

 in all their stages. 



The Ant-lion (Myr- 

 meleonidce), or more pop- 

 ularly the " Doodle- 

 bug," makes small fun- 

 nel-shaped pits in sand or 

 dry, powdery, decaying 

 wood. Small insects fall 

 into these pits, aided by 

 slides on the steep sides, 

 and are captured and 

 eaten. The ant-lion has 

 strong curved jaws 

 through which it sucks 

 the blood from its vic- 

 tims. Its body is stout 



are known as " helgrammites." 



FIG. 29. Neuropterous Insects. 

 Reduced. 



a, Dobson-fly, Corydalis cornuta (Neurop- 

 tera); b, Ant-lion, adult; c, Ant-lion, cocoon 

 and larva (Neuroptera); d, d, Caddice-flies 

 (Trichoptera) ; e, Aphis-lion or lace- wing fly 

 (Neuroptera); f, Bittacus sp., and g. Scor- 

 pion-flies, Panorpa sp. (Mecoptera). 



