i^O IlEMEROBIUS. 



Ge^:u3 IV — HemeroUBso 



1 HIS tribe of infecls have obtained the name of heme- 

 robii from the fliortnefs of their lives, although they con- 

 tinue In their winged flate longer than a day. This ge- 

 nus is diftiriguifhed by having the mouth armed with two 

 feeth and four palpi ; the wings hang down, without 

 being folded; the antennae are fetaceoas, advanced before 

 the head, and longer than the thorai, which is convex *. 



Nature feems to have fpread plant lice upon almolt 

 every plant, for the mantainance of thoufands of her 

 offspring. In their larva flate, tlie hemerobii are great 

 devourers of thefe animals ; and from that circumftance 

 they have obtained the name of lions of plant licef. 

 Even after their transformation,' the hemerobii retain 

 their carnivorous habits : Not fatisfied with making war 

 upon the plant lice, who tamely fufFer themfelves to be 

 devoured, they do not fpare thofe of their ov\;n kind. 



The moment thefe infecls enter upon life, they find 

 themfelves, by the precaution of their ancellors, fituated 

 among thoufands of fmall animals, which, without any 

 effort, they d^flroy. In lefs than a minute after the plant 

 loufe has been feized, the whole vifcera and juices are 

 fucked from its body. Some fpecies mike a covering 

 for their body of the carcafes which they have thus emp- 

 tied, and carry them about as trophies upon their backs » 



Th© 



• Syli. Nat. p. 911, f Reaumur, Tom. III. mem. ilo 



