Beneficial Insects. 



327 



formidable hooked apparatus of their larvae, which seize and 

 devour their pre}^ like famished dogs. 



The proportion of fungi and pollen eaten by the larva is 

 relatively insignificant compared with that consumed by the, 

 perfect beetle, which can fly from place to place, and can get 

 a variety of food, while the larva is confined to a few leaves. 

 It has been noticed that the perfect beetle will rest upon the 

 congeries of spores formed by fungi; as, for instance, upon 

 those on the leaves of the hop, and of the potato, apparently 

 feeding upon the spores. Eggs are not laid in or near these 

 centres of fungi, but are placed, as a rule, upon leaves where 

 plant lice exist, in order that there may be an abundance of 

 suitable food when the young larvae emerge. 



It is not denied that the perfect beetles eat aphides ; it is 

 only stated as the result of observations that they prefer, and 

 can assimilate better, spores of fungi and grains of pollen — 

 vegetable diet, in short. This insect is, then, in its perfect and 

 larval stage, of great value to cultivators, and should be 

 encouraged in every possible way. It was the custom not 

 long ago to ruthlessly kill ladybirds, to sweep them from the 

 corners of rooms where they had congregated for the winter, 

 chiefly in houses with a southern aspect, and to put them 

 into the fire. Even in these days some persons destroy them 

 without scruple. 



The Seven-spotted Ladybird [Coccinella septem-pundata). 



I, Perfect Insect; 2, Larva; 3, Pupa. 



There are several species of CoccinellcE actively useful in the 

 destruction of aphides and fungi, of which two, Coccmella 

 septem-pundata (the ladybird with seven spots) and Coccmella 

 hi-ptmdata (the ladybird with two spots) are by far the most 

 common. An illustration of the former is given above. 



