THE DRAGON FLY 
25 
ENEMIES—Birds, large flies and beetles all kill 
aphides as food, the little Silver-eye being particu¬ 
larly fond of them and also of ‘‘Lady Birds.’ 
NOTES—Other well-known species of “Aphides” 
are the “Apple Aphis” (also called the “Woolly 
Aphis”), the “Pear Aphis” (dark brown), the 
“Bean Aphis” (also called the "Black Aphis”), and 
the “Frog Aphis” (also called the “Jumping Aphis”). 
The “Frog Aphis” is frequently found amongst the 
foliage of ivy and Virginia creeper, and may be 
recognised by its characteristic frog-like hops. The 
aphis changes the leaf sap into sweet juice, and 
sometimes drops of this may be seen on the ends 
of two small tubes on the insect’s back. Ants are 
sometimes seen taking these drops of honey-sweet 
juice from the Aphides. The ant makes a stroking 
movement with two of its legs on the sides of the 
Aphis, which encourages the insect to exude more 
honey drops. Hence, the Aphis is sometimes called 
the “Ant-cow.” 
THE DRAGON FLY 
SPECIES—The three kinds most common in 
New Zealand: (1) The largest, black and gold 
colour, thin body (see illustration) ; (2) much 
smaller, scarlet colour, thicker body; (3) similar 
size to (2), but peacock green colour. (Illustrations, 
pp. 13, 29.) 
FOOD—(1) Small insects, which they catch on 
the wing or on grass stems, etc.; (2) eggs of 
insects, especially those of the mosquito, which 
thev find floating in clusters on stagnant water; 
(3) pupae of water insects which they find either 
