THE NEUROPTERA 223 



The Lace-wings are found practically everywhere in this country 

 and are usually quite abundant. They lay their eggs on the stems, 

 branches, and leaves of plants, first constructing a slender but quite stiff 

 stalk of silk about half an inch long, to the end of which the egg itself is 

 attached (Fig. 219). These eggs are usually placed in groups and it is 

 believed that were the eggs not raised on stalks out of reach, the first 

 larva to hatch would at once proceed to eat the eggs as its first meal. 



FIG. 219. Eggs of a Lacewing, greatly enlarged. (From Sanderson and Jackson, 

 Elementary Entmology; after S. G. Hunter.) 



These larvae are rather short, somewhat oval in outline, and have long 

 mandibles with which they grasp their prey. The lower side of each 

 mandible is grooved and the maxilla of the same side is so modified as to 

 fit into this groove and convert it into a tube. An insect attacked by an 

 Aphis-lion is seized by the tips of the jaws and its blood is drawn through 

 the tubes into the body of its captor. 



Aphis-lions are often found in colonies of plant lice which have by their 

 feeding caused leaves to curl, and with an abundant food supply thus 

 provided, the insect is both protected by the leaf and insured of the food 

 it needs for its development. 



When full-grown the Aphis-lion forms around its body a white, shin- 

 ing, spherical silken cocoon in which it pupates. When this process is 

 complete the adult cuts out a circular piece of the cocoon, forming a hole 

 through which it escapes. 



The importance of Lace-wings as friends of man is such that they 

 should be protected and not destroyed under the impression that being 

 among known pests they must also be for that reason injurious. 



