shining and tinged with brownish; wings pellucid; stigma, cloudy 
white. Length, 0.07 inch. 
These as a matter of course, form but a small portion of the large 
number of species of this group of parasitic insects. Whether any 
species are limited in their operations to a particular aphis has not 
been yet satisfactorily ascertained; that some are parasitic on more 
than one species of aphis is true, but at the same time it may be true 
that certain plant lice may have their special parasites. 
Another group of plant-lice destroyers is found in the order JSTeurop- 
tera ,which consists of the Dragon-flies, Ant-lions, Lacewinged-flies, etc,, 
Those are the lace-winged flies which have rather long, slender bodies, 
and four broad, spreading, thin membranous wings with numerous 
transverse veinlets. They are usually pale green, and when handled 
leave on the hands an unpleasant odor. The female suspends her little 
eggs on delicate threads, in clusters, on the under side of the leaves 
where the plant-lice abound. 
Fig. 40. 
Chrysopa—Eggs, Larva, Coocoon and Perfect insect. 
a. The eggs mounted on their slender thread like stems, b. The larva with its lon^ 
sharp, sword-like jaws. c. The singular small coooootis in which the pupa resides* one 
showing the opening and lid through which the insect has escaped, d The perfect in¬ 
sect, shewing the wings on the right side only. 
The larvae which hatch from these are somewhat spindle-shaped, 
narrowed in front, rounded behind, and broadest rather b hind the 
middle, and furnished with large curved, sharp jaws, with which they 
seize and devour their helpless victims. 
A description of two or three species known to inhabit Illinois, will 
be sufficient to give the reader an idea of these important aids. 
They belong chiefly to the genus Cfirysopci. 
Chrysopa oculata, Say. The Eye-marked Golden-eye. 
Greenish-yellow; antennae yellowish, apex obscure, second joint an- 
nulated with black, first joint with a red dorsal spot and ring; head yel¬ 
low, bases of the antennae surrounded with black rings, a black point 
each side behind the eye, and four black points on the occiput; front 
thoiax with three black points each side; wings hyaline, transverse 
veins or the front pair more or less black. Length to the tip of the 
wings six to seven-tenths of an inch; wings expanded measure rather 
more than one inch. 
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