FLIES — PLANT-B UGS 



199 



Grub-Flies. 



yellow legs, and a black abdomen with one interrupted yellow stripe and three 

 curved yellow stripes. 



Another gi-oup belonging to the typical flies live within insects 

 or their larvae, and likewise in dead pupre. These flies deposit their 

 eggs on the outside of their host, for the larvae to eat their way in, the maggots 

 tearing the soft-parts of their hosts to pieces, unlike those of the ichneumon- 

 flies, which only suck the juices. As grown larva? they bore their way out, 

 and change in the ground into barrel-shaped pupae. Not uncommon among the 

 numerous species is the grub-fly (Tachina larvaram), which is about f of an inch 

 long and whitish grey, with four stripes on the thorax, the longish abdomen being 

 striped with black. A noteworthy insect, injurious to stone-fruit, also belongs to this 



A pair OF plant-buos (Pyrrhocoris apterus). 



group, namely, the cherry-fly (Spilograph ia cerasi), which is \ of an inch long, and 

 glossy black with a yellow shield and similar lateral stripes, and black and yellow 

 legs ; the glossy wings having four brown stripes and a brown border. The female 

 deposits one or two eggs near the stalk of the white cherry. From these develop 

 larva? which live in the cherry, whence they may be expelled by gentle pressure. 



Plant-Bugs. 



The members of the Rhynchota differ from the flies in many 

 ways, having four wings and developing without a complete 

 metamorphosis. Among them, forming a fairly large group, are the plant- 

 bugs (Geocorisa), which suck other insects dry, and probably live mostly on 

 animal-matter, but, according to place and season, also attack plants. At the 

 foot of lime-trees, and also on the tree itself, as well as on thistles and walls, is 



