A HISTORY OF KENT 



species are included, of which twenty-five appear to be indigenous ; five 

 are certainly introduced, and two are irregular or occasional visitors. The 

 more noteworthy Orthoptera from Kent are Apterygida albipennis, which 

 has been taken in only one other English county ; Platycleis rceselii, a 

 great rarity ; and Decticus verrucivorus, one of our scarcest grasshoppers. 

 Further collecting will doubtless show that the Mole Cricket {Gryllotalpa 

 gryllotalpd) and the Field Cricket {Gryllus campestris), and perhaps also 

 Mecostethus grossus, Ectobia lapponica and Platycleis brachyptera, are to 

 be found within its borders. Some at least of these species may be 

 confidently expected, and it is easily within the bounds of possibility 

 that forms new to the British fauna may be discovered. A few localities, 

 as for instance the Folkestone warren and the Deal sandhills, have been 

 well worked and have produced interesting forms. There are without 

 doubt many other spots in Kent which would equally repay the 

 collector. 



FORFICULARIA 

 Ea?-'wigs 

 The rare earwig Labidura riparia. Pall., which is undoubtedly 

 indigenous to Great Britain, has been taken on the beach at Folke- 

 stone by a young lady who had ' sufficient observation to see that the 

 insect was a peculiar one, sufficient courage to capture it, and sufficient 

 discrimination to send it to ' the Rev. J. G. Wood.^ Anisolabis anmilipes, 

 Luc, has been taken at Queenborough and in numbers on the Isle of 

 Sheppey by Com. J. J. Walker, R.N. The Lesser Earwig [Labia minor, L.) 

 is frequent in the evening during the early summer, flying often in 

 company with Staphylinidce over dungheaps and flower beds. Forjicula 

 auricularia, L., the common earwig, is abundant everywhere. F. lesnei, 

 Finot, is somewhat locally distributed, but is fairly numerous on shrubs 

 in the Folkestone warren, and may best be taken by sweeping. That 

 rarity, Apterygida albipennis, Meg., was captured many years ago by 

 Professor Westwood at Ashford, and recorded by Stephens. Since 

 then it has only been once taken in Britain, i.e. in Norfolk in 1889. 

 A. arachidis, Yers., is a cosmopolitan form, and has been taken in 

 numbers in the Chemical Works at Queenborough by Com. J. J. 

 Walker, R.N. 



BLATTODEA 



Cockroaches 

 The little cockroach Ectobia parizeri, Steph., is by no means rare 

 on the sandhills at Deal. E. livida, Fabr., has been taken at Broadwater 

 Forest near Tunbridge Wells by Mr. F. Milton. Phyllodromia germanica, 

 L., the ' German Cockroach,' is numerous in many hotels, restaurants, 

 stores, etc. It has been noted at Blackheath and Folkestone. Blatta 

 orientalis, L., is of course abundant in most houses. Periplaneta americana, 

 L., also occurs in stores and warehouses, especially in seaport towns. 



1 Insects at Home, by the Rev. J. G. Wood, p. 230. Mr. Lucas reports the capture of a second 

 specimen in 1902, so the species may now be considered as established as a British insect. — H. G. 



104 



