ODONATA — THYSANOPTERA 



25 



Fig. 21. — Adult dragon fly. Original. 



membranous wings. Each wing is marked with a shallow notch about 

 midway along its front margin. Adults as well as nymphs are pre- 

 dacious, Hving on other insects which they 

 capture. Their mouth parts are of the biting 

 type. They have large compound eyes, — as, 

 indeed, we should expect in insects that live by 

 capturing others. The abdomen is slim, and 

 is never provided with a sting of any sort, as 

 is so often supposed. 



Insects of this order are of importance be- 

 cause they make a business of capturing in- 

 dividuals of other species, many of which we 

 may reasonably assume would be injurious. 



The order has been carefully studied, and 

 about 2000 species have been described. 



Thysanoptera Fig. 22. —The empty 



pupal skin of a dragon 

 The group to which has been given this ^^ Original. 



name is made up of very small insects, many 



of which the layman will recognize rather by their characteristic work 



than by acquaintance with the appearance of the insect itself. Their 



common name is " Thrips." 



