76 POPULAR ENTOMOLOGY. 



HOMOPTERA. ApHID^. 



APHIS. 



Generic Distinctions. — Antennce filiform, seven-jointed ; elytra 

 larger than the wings ; body generally horned towards the apex ; 

 wings either four, or entirely wanting. 



Aphis Eos^e (Plate XY.) is generally of a green colour ; 

 the tips of the antennae, and horns, black; tail pointed. 

 These insects may be found in Pebruary, when the weather 

 is sufficiently warm, and are produced from oval black eggs 

 deposited in the autumn. They reach maturity in April, 

 after twice casting their skins ; and early in June, some of 

 the third generation, after throwing off their last covering, 

 are found to possess four wings, which had been folded 

 into a very small compass, but now extend in a beautiful 

 manner to their proper form and dimensions. 



Aphis Humuli infests the Hop, and the importance of 

 this apparently insignificant insect may be gathered from 

 the following account given in the ' British Cyclopsedia of 

 Natural History \ "In the year 1803 the hop-duty fell from 

 100,000^. to 14,000/., on account of the great increase of 

 the Aphis; in 1825, from 130,000/. to 22,000/. ; and in the 

 following year, which was remarkably dry and hot, scarcely 



