ANNULOSA : INSECTA. 



28l 



"i- Neuroptera. Aphis-lion (Heme- 

 robiida>\ imago, larva, and eggs. 



wings four in number, all membranous, generally nearly equal 



in size, traversed by numerous delicate nervures, having a 



longitudinal and transverse 



direction, and giving them a 



reticulated, lace-like aspect 



Metamorphosis generally in- 



complete, rarely complete. 



The larva active, hexapod, 



rarely with pro-legs. 



This order includes the 

 Dragon - flies (Libellulidce), 

 Caddis - flies (Phryganeidce}, 

 May-flies (Ephemeridce)* the 

 Ant - lion (Myrmeleo\ Ter- 

 mites, &c. The last of these 

 namely, the Termites or 

 White Ants are social, and 

 live in communities, and their 



hahitc IT-A cr cinmilar tl-iof o 

 naDltS are SO Singular that a 



short description of them will 

 not be out of place here. They are mostly inhabitants of hot 

 countries, where they are commonly known as " White Ants ; " 

 but it must be borne in mind that they have nothing to do 

 with the Insects commonly called Ants, which belong, indeed, 

 to a different order (Hymenoptera). The following account is 

 taken from Mr Bates's work on the Amazons, where there is 

 an excellent description of the habits of these remarkable 

 insects. 



Termites are small, soft-bodied insects, which live in large 

 communities, as do the true Ants. They differ, however, from 

 the Ants in the fact that the workers are individuals of no 

 fully developed sex, whereas amongst the latter they are unde- 

 veloped females. Further, the neuters of the Termites are 

 always composed of two distinct classes or " castes " the 

 workers and the soldiers. Lastly, the Ants undergo a quiescent 

 pupa-stage ; whereas the young Termites, on their emergence 

 from the egg, do not differ from the adult in any respect except 

 in size. 



Each species of Termites consists of several distinct orders 

 or castes, which live together, and constitute populous, or- 

 ganised communities. They inhabit structures known as 



* By some the Dragon-flies (Libenulidce), the May-flies (Ephemerid<z) , 

 and the Termites (Termitidtz), are placed in the Orthoptera, under the 

 common name of Pseudo-neuroptera ; whilst the Caddis-flies (Phryganddce} 

 form a separate order under the name of Trichoptera. 



