INSECTS. 



165 



condition in cellars, barns, etc. The female lays 2.50 

 to 300 eggs on any floating object in stagnant water 

 (pools, ditches, water-vessels). The larvae (with large 

 head, well-developed prothorax, and a breathing-tube 

 on the abdomen) live in water, as do the pupae. 

 Several generations annually; especially in damp 

 summers and districts where the draining of the soil 

 leaves much to be desired. Although sand-flies 

 torment our domestic animals more than gnats, yet 

 these also may be very troublesome to them. They 

 principally attack the less hairy parts of the body 

 (inner side of the ears, nose, mouth, corners of the 

 eye, arms, sexual parts). Meviedies : Thorough drain- 

 ing of the soil. Washing the domestic animals to be 

 protected with a vinegar extract of walnut leaves ; 

 rubbing with walnut-leaves. Wherever possible, any 

 sores should be covered up, as they attract gnats, 

 sand-flies, and flies ; or the skin near them may be 

 painted with turpentine or very dilute carbolic acid. 

 This is the less to be neglected, as several kinds of flies 

 eagerly lay their eggs in the sores of domestic animals. 



Family : Gallieolae (Gall Gnats). 



Small gnats with large broad wings, much narrowed 

 at the root, rounded 

 at the tip, and gene- 

 rally rough with hairs. 

 Feelers made up of 

 a large number of 

 spherical or cylindri- 

 cal joints, covered 

 with spreading hairs. 

 Proboscis short, legs 

 long. The female has 

 an ovipositor, with 

 which she inserts eggs 

 in any part of a plant. 



.. ,!• i- 1 J. Fig. 110.— The Wheat Midge (Cecidomma 



At this particular Spot (rt«to), female. 



