SOME USEFUL INSECTS. 235 



Some Useful Insects. 



Lady Birds. Whatever you do, don't kill a 

 lady bird. These beautiful insects 

 some black, spotted with red ; 

 others red, spotted with black- 

 are most useful, because they feed 

 chiefly on the aphides or green 



LADY BIRD. 



The larvae are specially ravenous, and are 

 longer than the beetle ; they are found in large 

 numbers amidst aphis colonies ; their yellow 

 eggs are laid in heaps. 



When grasped, they emit from their abdo- 

 men a yellowish, unpleasant smelling fluid. 

 No doubt this fluid is used as a weapon of 

 defence against birds or other enemies, which, 

 but for this unpleasant fluid, would exterminate 

 them. 



Ichneumon Fly. A chapter 

 alone could be devoted to de- 

 scribing these remarkable in- 

 sects. 



They lay their eggs, by 

 means of a long ovipositor, in 

 the bodies of larvae, principally 

 in the bodies of caterpillars. Sometimes they 

 lay their eggs on pupae, or even on the eggs of 

 moths and butterflies. 



ICHNEUMON OROSSALINO. 



