INSECTS INJURIOUS IN THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 



827 



seven of the segments have a large dark spot on 

 each ; the legs, of which there are seven pairs, 

 are five-jointed, terminated by a claw, and finely 

 ciliated on the inner sides. When young, this 

 species is sometimes red, or of a lead colour ; 

 when fully grown, of a yellowish white, the 

 upper side rough and warty, variegated with 

 brown or lead colour. 



Oniscus armadillo Linn., Armadillo vulgaris 

 Latreille, is at once distinguished from the 

 last by its rolling itself up into a ball when dis- 

 turbed. The legs are short, somewhat hairy 

 towards the apex, and seven-jointed, the fifth 

 joint twice as long as the fourth. The body is 

 elliptical, very convex, and comprised of four- 

 teen segments ; the head is broad, the tail is not 

 prominent, and the lateral appendages are short 

 and broad. The body on the upper side is of a 

 deep lead colour, and punctured ; the sides of the 

 segments are not dilated, but droop below the 

 abdomen ; it has seven pair of legs, which are 

 six-jointed. The eggs of the Oniscus family are 

 first deposited in an elliptical bag beneath the 

 abdomen of the female, and when they are 

 hatched, the mouth of the pouch or bag opens, 

 and the young brood sally forth, and as soon as 

 this takes place the mother closes it again. The 

 end of summer is the season when breeding 

 takes place. They shun the light, and during 

 the day hide themselves under boards, pots, or 

 in crevices of walls, or, indeed, in any dry dark 

 place. A toad or two will soon clear a pit or 

 frame of them ; and slates or small flower-pots 

 inverted, and set about, will be found excellent 

 traps for them, as they will take shelter under 

 them, and may be afterwards easily caught and 

 destroyed. 



The holly-leaf fly (Phytomyza ilicis Curtis), fig. 

 273, often attacks the leaves of the holly during 

 the month of May, giving them a blotched ap- 

 pearance, as if the surface were scalded in nume- 

 rous places. On lifting up the dried cuticle of 

 the leaf where these blotches occur, a small pale 

 greenish larva, sometimes a small ochreous 

 brown oval pupa, will be found. This is the 

 pupa of the Phytomyza ilicis. In its fly state 

 it is of greyish-brown colour, covered with 

 small black hairs interspersed with larger 

 bristles, particularly over the head and thorax. 

 The head, is somewhat ovate, transverse, the 

 face concave and yellowish ; ocelli three, placed 

 in triangle of the crown ; antennae small ; crown 

 inserted in a cavity in front of the face ; the 

 three basal joints are stout, the first small, se- 

 cond bowl-shaped, the third the largest, com- 

 pressed and sub-orbicular ; thorax sub-globose, 

 yellowish on the sides ; scutellum trigonate ; 

 abdomen elliptical, pale at the base, with six 

 segments in the male, and seven in the female. 

 She is also furnished with a retractile ovipositor. 

 Wings large, broad, and oval, longer than the 

 body, and covered with minute pubescence ; 

 nervures brown, subcostal, and very short ; legs 

 nearly of equal length, brownish ochre, covered 

 with dark hair ; tibiae short ; tarsi as long as 

 the shanks, and five-jointed ; thighs stoutish ; 

 claws very small ; basal joint elongated. It 

 does not appear, from our present limited know- 

 ledge of this insect, that any remedy can be 



offered, farther than gathering the affected 

 leaves and burning them. Leaves attacked are 



Fig. 273. 



HOLLY-LEAF FLY. 



readily distinguished, from their spotted ap- 

 pearance. 



The cockroach (Blatta orientalis). — These 

 are serious enemies when once established in 

 orchid-houses (vide p. 695, and fig. 265), where 

 they prey upon the fleshy roots, and devour 

 them as fast as they are formed. They also 

 attack the roots of the pine-apple. Their fecun- 

 dity is as surprising as their voraciousness. They 

 carry on their depredations chiefly during the 

 night, and secrete themselves during the day in 

 holes and places where it is next to impossible to 

 reach them, always choosing both dry and warm 

 quarters. The males alone have wings, and are 

 less in size than the females, which latter, 

 particularly when loaded with a heavy bag of 

 eggs, which they carry about with them for days 

 until they find a place suitable for depositing 

 them in, are ill calculated for flying, and indeed 

 do not travel further than to secure sufficient 

 food. This may be an important reason why 

 they are so difficult to subdue, notwithstanding 

 hundreds may be trapped or killed week after 

 week. It is probable that the majority of these 

 are males, for they are exceedingly nimble, and 

 travel a considerable distance from their noc- 

 turnal haunts, as may be seen by entering the 

 places they frequent with a lighted candle, 

 when they scamper off into holes and crevices 

 so quickly that it is difficult to destroy them, 

 although they cover the floor by hundreds. 

 The eggs form an oval mass, enclosed within a 



