A HISTORY OF KENT 



although so few locaHties for them have actually been recorded, no doubt 

 Sympetrum striolatum, JEschna grandis and Ischnura elegans are all over the 

 county, and probably the same may be said of Libellula depressa, JEschna 

 cyanea and Agrion puella} 



HYMENOPTERA 



PHYTOPHAGA 



SawJJies, IFood-ivasps and Gall-flies 



The saw-flies, wood-wasps and gall-flies are chiefly vegetable feeders, 

 but some of the species belonging to the group of gall-flies occur as 

 parasites inside the bodies of other insects. 



The larvae of the sawflies [T^enthredinidce) somewhat resemble the 

 caterpillars of the Lepidoptera ; they can however be distinguished from 

 these by the larger number of legs. Most of them feed upon the leaves 

 of various plants and trees, and some of the species are very destructive. 

 Amongst these may be mentioned the Turnip Fly {Athalia spinarum, F.), 

 also Nematus ribesia. Scop., which attacks gooseberry and currant bushes 

 and sometimes almost strips them of their foliage. In the Cephida the 

 larvs are maggot-like and live inside the stems and buds. Cephas 

 pygmaus, L., inhabits corn-stalks and occasionally injures the crops 

 seriously, but it has not been reported as having done much damage 

 in this country. 



The wood-wasps [Siricidce) are the largest insects in this section. 

 The larvas bore galleries in the wood of fir-trees. The two species of 

 Sirex that have occurred in Kent are probably not truly indigenous, but 

 were originally introduced in timber coming from abroad. 



Most of the gall-flies [Cynipidce) produce morbid growths or 

 swellings known as galls on the stems, leaves, buds, flowers or roots of 

 the plants on which they feed. A few species do not make galls, but 

 feed on those produced by others. 



With regard to the parasitic Cynipidce^ these mostly attack the 

 larvEe of certain Diptera and Aphides. 



Few entomologists have up to the present interested themselves in 

 this section of the Hymenoptera, consequently the following list is prob- 

 ably far from complete : — 



LIST OF KENTISH PHYTOPHAGA 



Tenthredinid^ Tenthredinid^ {continued) 



Tenthredo livida, L. Maidstone (Frisby), Tenthredo mandibularis, Pz. Darenth 



Darenth (Chitty), Ripple (Sladen) IVood (Stephens) 



— velox, Fab. Kent (Stephens) — maculata, Fourc. Darenth (Chitty), 



— rufiventris, Pz. Darenth (Chitty), Maidstone (Frisby) 



Maidstone (Frisby) — bicincta, L. Throwley (Chitty), Ripple 



— atra, L. Darenth (Stephens) (Sladen), Maidstone (Frisby) 



1 Of dragonflies not yet taken Sympetum scoticum, Don. ; Cordulia anea, Linn. ; Cordukgaster annu- 

 latus, Latr. ; jEschna juncea, Linn. ; Calopleryx spkndens, Harr. ; C. virgo, Linn. ; and Erythromma naias, 

 Hansem, are almost certainly present ; while Gomphus vulgatissimus, Linn. ; Lestes dryas, Kirb. ; Pyrrhosoma 

 tenellum, Vill. ; Ischnura pumilis, Charp. ; and Jgrion mercuriale, Charp., are not unlikely to be found. 



loS 



