46 SCHOOL ENTOMOLOGY 



and oval, being mostly abdomen. It digs its pits by 

 getting the sand on its head and flipping it sharply 

 backward, turning slightly after each "flip." The adults 

 resemble the damsel-flies, but have larger antennae and 

 fold their wings roof-like. The wings are not so distinctly 

 stalked. 



Aphis-lions or lace-wing flies (Chrysopidce) have very 

 thin, lacy wings and are usually green in color. They 

 may be found flying in shrubbery throughout the summer. 

 The eggs are laid on long slender stalks fastened to leaves 

 or branches so that the hungry young first hatching may 

 not destroy those as yet unhatched. The larvse resemble 

 the ant-lions but are more slender and have usually some 

 yellow or red markings. They may be found in colonies 

 of plant-lice on which they feed, thus earning the name 

 of aphis-lions. The adults are also called " golden-eyes," 

 from the brilliant golden color of the eyes. 



Mecoptera are given the name of Scorpion-flies. They 

 have narrow wings with few cross veins. The head is 

 somewhat prolonged, forming a beak on which the mouth 

 is situated. The abdomen is slender and in the males of 

 some species is so formed at the tip as to resemble the 

 sting of the scorpion. The larvae are not often encoun- 

 tered and are caterpillar-like, having at least eight pairs 

 of pro-legs on the abdomen. Two groups in this order 

 are common, one the true scorpion-fly, another (Bittacus), 

 which has no distinctive common name but which super- 

 ficially resembles the crane flies. 



Trichoptera, or Caddice-flies are usually small, moth- 

 like insects with long antennae and wings sparsely clothed 

 with hairs, which adds to their moth-like appearance. 

 The wings have few cross veins. The mouth-parts are 

 rudimentary in the adults. 



