. Bulletin - United States National Museum. Science. prismg, insects be d -Lace-wingfly. a, eggs, &, larva, c, cocoons, d, fly with left wings removed. (^S-^s,. Fig. 37.—An Ant-lion (Myrmeleon). (From Packard.) of our largest aiidmost striking insects, the larvne of wliich is known as Dobsons by anglers, and is aquatic and carnivorous in habit. The Heme- robiidi© is a large family, com- as a rule, delicate with rather ample gauzy wings. The larvee are predaceous. The common Lace-wing flies are among our most beneficial insects, de- stroying plant-lice and other soft-bodied species. To the
. Bulletin - United States National Museum. Science. prismg, insects be d -Lace-wingfly. a, eggs, &, larva, c, cocoons, d, fly with left wings removed. (^S-^s,. Fig. 37.—An Ant-lion (Myrmeleon). (From Packard.) of our largest aiidmost striking insects, the larvne of wliich is known as Dobsons by anglers, and is aquatic and carnivorous in habit. The Heme- robiidi© is a large family, com- as a rule, delicate with rather ample gauzy wings. The larvee are predaceous. The common Lace-wing flies are among our most beneficial insects, de- stroying plant-lice and other soft-bodied species. To the same family belongs the Ant-lion {Myrmeleon), the larvse of which have the curious habit of constructing a funnel-shaped burrow in the sand, in the bottom of which they conceal themselves and wait for any soft-bodied insects which may fall into the trap. This fam- ily also includes the peculiar Mantis-like in- sects belonging to the genus Mantispa. As in the true Mantis, the prothorax of these insects is greatly elongated and the first pair of legs are fitted for grasping. The larvse are parasitic in the egg-sacs of cer- tain large spiders (genera Lieosa, DolomedeSy etc.), and undergo a remarkable change in form after the first molt. In the first stage the larvae are very agile, with slen- der bodies and long legs. After molting the body becomes much swollen and the legs are much shortened, as are also the antennae, the head becoming small and the general appearance reminding one of the larva of a bee. The second section of the Neuroptera, characterized by complete metamorphosis, comiDrises the following suborders: Suborder Platyptera {-Xaroq, flat; Ttrepu'^^wmg). Under this nead are grouped the White-ants {Termitidce), the Bivd-hce f2IallopJiagaJ,. and the Book-mites {Psocidw). The suborder receives its name from the fact that in the case of the winged forms the wings, when at rest, are usually laid flat upon the back of the insect. The Mallophaga, or Bird-lice, are degrade
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Keywords: ., bookauthorun, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectscience
