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24 NATURE STUDY NOTES 
NOTES—Dragonflies and birds devour large 
quantities of mosquito eggs and “tumblers.” This 
explains the well-known habit of skimming over the 
surface of lakes, swamps, and stagnant water by 
dragonflies and some birds. The position of the 
breathing apparatus of the “wrigglers” makes it 
possible to destroy immense numbers of them by 
pouring kerosene on the water in which they are 
living, thus choking them by closing the breathing 
tubes. 
THE ROSE APHIS 
DESCRIPTION—Also called the “Green Aphis,” 
the ‘ Green Fly,” and “Ant-cows.” Infest rose 
bushes in large numbers just before the rosebuds 
are due to open. They are so small that a hand 
magnifier or lens is needed to make an individual 
examination. . Body, green colour, with four 
imperfect wings; two bright black eyes that stick 
out from the sides of its head. Antennae, long and 
always moving, and between them is placed the 
short sucker which is almost constantly buried in 
soft plant growth—petal of bud, leaf or tender 
stem—from which it sucks all the juices. (See 
illustration, p. 13.) 
CYCLE—The first brood hatch out in early 
spring from small eggs laid at the bases of leaf 
buds during the previous autumn. This is the only 
brood that emerges from eggs. Future broods are 
born in such quick succession that during the 
summer months a dozen “aphides” will multiply 
into thousands, thus causing widespread destruc¬ 
tion to twigs and buds. 
