DRAGONFLIES, MAYFLIES, 



571 



which they dig in sandy soil, to entrap the ants and other insects on 

 which they feed. The Ascalaphidce are another family not represented 

 in Britain, but which has also several representatives in 

 Southern Europe. It is distinguished by its very long, Family- 



clubbed antennae. In the typical genus Asccdaphus (Fabr.), Ascalaphidce. 

 the wings are black and yellow, and broader and shorter 

 than in the Myrmeleonidce ; but in many of the allied tropical genera, 

 the wings are longer, narrower, and mostly transparent. A third allied 

 family, the Nemopteridce, not British, and not extending so far south as the 

 others, being confined in Europe to the shores of the 

 Mediterranean, has rather short and slender antennae, broad, Family 



oval, black and yellow fore-wings, and very long and narrow Nemopteridce. 

 hind-wings, looking, when the insect is held head upwards, 

 almost like a pair of stilts. The fore-wings measure about an inch and a half 

 in expanse, but the curious narrow hind- wings are nearly two inches long. 

 The most interesting British species of Planipennia belong 

 to the Chrysopidce, or lace-winged flies, which have bright Lace-winged 

 green bodies, long slender antennae, golden eyes, and trans- Flies 



parent, delicately reticulated wings, rarely exceeding an (Chrysopidcn). 

 inch in expanse. Their larvae are very useful in gardens by 

 destroying the Aphides, or plant-lice. 



The Ephemeridce, which are generally called May-flies, or Day-flies, fly over 

 streams in summer. They have long, slender antennae, slender bodies, 

 ending in two or three long fila- 

 ments, broad fore-wings, about May-Flies 

 an inch and a half in expanse, (Ephemeridcb). 

 and very small, or undeveloped 

 hind-wings. Their larvae are aquatic, and take 

 several months to arrive at maturity ; but the 

 perfect insects live a very short time. They are 

 insects of dull colours, brown, greenish, dull 

 grey, or whitish ; and on the Continent there are 

 several white species which emerge from the 

 water after sunset, and perish before sunrise. 

 In the evening they swarm in at the open windows 

 of waterside houses to the lights in great numbers. 

 In the morning the ground near the rivers 

 where they breed is covered with their dead 

 bodies, lying in heaps. 



The Perlidce is another family of brown 

 Neuroptera, with well-developed hind-wings, 

 large heads, and two long fila- 

 ments at the end of the body. Stone Flies 

 Their larvae likewise are aquatic. (Ptrlidce). 



The TermitidcK, or white ants, 

 are fortunately not British, and it is to be 

 hoped that they will never succeed in getting 

 a footing in this country. The males and 

 females have long and rather narrow wings, and short, stout 

 bodies ; the workers are wingless, and have very large White Ants 

 heads, and powerful jnws. They are very similar to ants in (Termetidce). 

 their habits, and shun the light, always living either in 



Fig. 49. MAY FLY (Ephemera 

 vulgata, Linn.). 



