Marvels of insect life ; a popular account of structure and habit . Pholn by] [II. Main, .\poLLO Butterfly at Rest. Whrn at rest, and imbibing nectar from the flowei-s,the fore-wings are slipped between the hind-wingsto make the Insect less noticeable. In this stndyfrom life in Switzerlanil the butterfly has not quitesettled, as only one has been tuckid out ofsight. Natural size. no Marvels of Insect Life, ,. .. 5,«e--«i«^ ? -» mr—3r^ ^ iH^^ ..^*^^B ^^^9IHHPP^ sr„ P/!o/o by] The Ant-Lion. [H. Basiin. The ant-lion is the larval stage of a large, four-winged fly much like a drag
Marvels of insect life ; a popular account of structure and habit . Pholn by] [II. Main, .\poLLO Butterfly at Rest. Whrn at rest, and imbibing nectar from the flowei-s,the fore-wings are slipped between the hind-wingsto make the Insect less noticeable. In this stndyfrom life in Switzerlanil the butterfly has not quitesettled, as only one has been tuckid out ofsight. Natural size. no Marvels of Insect Life, ,. .. 5,«e--«i«^ ? -» mr—3r^ ^ iH^^ ..^*^^B ^^^9IHHPP^ sr„ P/!o/o by] The Ant-Lion. [H. Basiin. The ant-lion is the larval stage of a large, four-winged fly much like a dragon-fly. Its habit of making pitfalls in loose, dry earth has long been excavation is made by going backwards in circles and pushing the sandaside with its hind-body. In the photograph it is beginning the operation. source, on finrlinp: it^elf ^lippinc: doMn the fntnl s. Sinking the Pit. The ant-lion first strikes out a circular trench by working backwards andusing its hind-body as a ploughshare. In this way the circumference of thepit is marked out. and by making successive rings inside this and throwing outthe sand by jerking the head, a conical pit is sunk. himself in the sand and onlv theseare exposed. At least, these are allthat show ; but at the base of eachmandible is a close cluster of sixsimple eyes by whose aid thecreature knows when to act. Ants were thought to be therhief victims of this pitfall, butother wingless Insects, as well asspiders and wood-lice, are amongthose that are seized by the pointsof the mandibles and not releaseduntil life has gone and little buta dry skin is left. The head isplaced under it, and it is jerkedout of the way. Carcases of thiskind about the pit might awakenthe suspicions of other prospectors,so they have to be hurled as faraway as the ant-lions muscularpower will allow. Sometimes an Insect of re-lope, will
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjecta, booksubjectinsects
