ORT^OPTERA 267 



annoyance to gardeners. Occasionally they visit flowers for the nectar, 

 and Knuth reports them as going into the flowers of Tropeeolum 

 majus for this purpose. They have also been taken on the flowers 

 of ivy {Hedera Helix), poppy {Papaver Rhceas) and Millfoil {Achilleea 

 millefolium), perhaps on the same quest. But they eat the flowers 

 of species of Brassica, and of the thistle (Cnicus arvensis) very freely. 

 Their destruction of fruit is chiefly that which has fallen on the 

 ground, or which grows near the ground, like strawberries. 

 Kerner suggests that: 



"it is very probable that the species of Fcrficula, which we frequently 

 find working for days together in tubular flowers, so far interfere with 

 the floral functions as that by their presence other insects, whose visits 

 would be of use, are prevented from sucking the nectar." He adds: "I 

 possess, however, no definite observations on this point." 



A rove-beetle, Philonthus ceneus, also introduced into New Zealand, 

 is very generally mistaken for an earwig. 



Mr G. Howes informs me that he has three unidentified species 

 of earwigs in his collection, which were introduced from the South 

 Sea Islands in fruit. 



Chelisoches morio, Fabr. 



This species, originally belonging to the Malay Archipelago, was 

 first observed by Mr Hudson, as landed from a home steamer in 

 Welhngton in 1890. He found another specimen amongst some 

 bananas in 1898. Mr W. W. Smith reported it as occurring round 

 about Christchurch in 1906, 



Family Blattid^ 



Blatta latipennis, Brunn. {Phylhdromia opima). (India?) 

 ( ? Blatta orientalis, the Black Beetle) 

 This species was recorded as taken at Auckland by the 'Novara' 

 Expedition (1859). 



Blatta germanica, Linn. {Phyllodromia germanica, Linn.). 

 (Cosmopolitan.) Cockroach 

 This species, which has spread very widely from Europe, is 

 known in America, where it is very conunon, as the " Croton Bug." 

 Mr Howes reports it as generally distributed by merchandise, and 

 common on all New Zealand coastal boats. It has been found in 

 parts of Dunedin and Invercargill. 



Polyzosteria truncata, Brunn. 

 This Australian species is recorded among introduced insects in 

 Hutton's list in the Fauna Nova-Zealandiee. 



