PLANT-LICE. COCHINEAL, &c. 



43 



Fig. 38. APHIS. 



8. The plant-lice Aphis (Jig. 38) are 

 very small homop'terans ; they have a soft 

 body, and are found in myriads in our gardens; 

 they live in companies on trees, the rose, ivy, 

 oak, apple, &c,, arid suck the sap by aid of 

 their trunk. 



9. The cochineal insect (Coccus) is very 



similar to plant-lice. The males (fig- 



39) have wings, but the females (fig* 



40) have none. Most of these insects 

 at a particular season of the year 

 attach themselves to the plants on 

 which they feed ; the males to experi- 

 ence their metamorphosis, and the 

 females to pass their lives. The sub- 

 stance called cochineal, so much used 

 in dyeing, is the dried bodies of certain 

 insects of this genus. The insects 



which furnish the most beautiful scarlet live on a 

 kind of cactus called nopal or opuntia, which is cul- 

 tivated in Mexico and other parts of South America, 

 solely on account of these animals. They are native of America, 

 and have been found in South Carolina. 



Fig. 40. 



COCHINEAL. 



Fig. 39. 

 COCHINEAL. 



ORDER OF NEUROP'TERA. 



10. The Neurop'terse (from the Greek, neuron, nerve, and 

 pteron, wing) are distinguished from other insects by their wings, 

 all four of which are membranous, transparent and reticulated 

 (that is, formed in very fine net-work), and by the organization 

 of the mouth, which is armed with mandibles and jaws adapted to 

 mastication (fig. 41). 



11. The general form of these insects is elongated, and their 

 teguments almost always soft. Most of them are carnivorous. 

 The Iarva9 always have six legs terminated by hooks ; their 

 metamorphosis is various, but generally incomplete. 



The most interesting insects of this order are the Dragon-flies, 

 Ephe'merce, and Termites. 



8. What are plant-lice ? 



9. What is cochineal dye ? How does the male differ from the female 

 cochineal insect ? 



10. How is the order of Neurop'tera distinguished? 



11. What are the habits of the Neurop' terse ? 



