Insect Homes. 47 



Crickets (Fam. Qryllidae), as already explained, form burrows for them- 

 selves and along with this habit their forelegs have greatly developed. 

 They are also provided with ovipositors which are not so well developed 

 as in the grasshoppers. 



The question naturally arises as to what is the object of these homes. 

 Of course the answer is 'for protection'; but let us see in whatway 

 they offer this protection. The simplest form of protection is protbably 

 against weather conditions, for either excessive heat or excessive 

 rains would be inimical to the earlier stages. The most important func- 

 tion, however, is probably as a protection against enemies. The simple 

 hiding-places which larvae make by drawing together a number of leaves, 

 or merely rolling one, protect them, not only from birds which are for- 

 ever preying upon them, but also from enemies of their own kind such 

 as parasitic Hymenoptera and Diptera. The tiny homes of Caddice flies 

 (Trichoptera), protective, no doubt, against fishes, water beetles (Hydro- 

 philddae, etc.), dragon fly larvae (Odonata), and other aquatic insects ; 

 the cocoons of moths (Ltpidoptera), and even the complicated homes of 

 the bees and wasps {Hymenoptera) have probably all been developed for 

 the same purpose. To a large extent these protections succeed, but the 

 parasitic insects have, of necessity, themselves developed in other 

 directions so as to overcome these obstacles for it is only thus that the 

 balance of life is maintained. 



