. The American entomologist. Entomology. delphicus, are wholly Inivous), and ni tlK- i>rusi-iii-f ol a blackish spot juat above the base of the atiteuuio. i>ur spe- cieji also comes near the S, concava of Say, but the antenna; In two or three instances the rightful tenant did not come forth from the Syrphus pupa; but an entirely different four-winged, sprightly busy-body had killed the owner aud taken pos- session of its house. This was all plain to me, for I had caught the busy Ichneumon in the act of depositing her eggs in Syrphus larva^ while the latter were engaged in feeding upon th
. The American entomologist. Entomology. delphicus, are wholly Inivous), and ni tlK- i>rusi-iii-f ol a blackish spot juat above the base of the atiteuuio. i>ur spe- cieji also comes near the S, concava of Say, but the antenna; In two or three instances the rightful tenant did not come forth from the Syrphus pupa; but an entirely different four-winged, sprightly busy-body had killed the owner aud taken pos- session of its house. This was all plain to me, for I had caught the busy Ichneumon in the act of depositing her eggs in Syrphus larva^ while the latter were engaged in feeding upon the plant-lice. There is another enemy of the plant-lice, a minute Ichneumon [doubtless some species of Ajihidius—Ed.] which causes greater conster- nation among them than all of their other foes. The Syrphus picked his victim off so quietly that it never seemed to dream that danger was near, until it was kicking on the end of his pro- boscis. But this very tiuy Ichneumon, even smaller than its victim, would set a whole colony of plant-lice on a stem in commotion. Bringing iny lens to bear upon such a stem, I invariably found the author of the mischief perched upon the back of an unlucky plant-louse, which was vainly endeavoring to dislodge her 'by kicking aud throwing back its antenna-. But she was usually too firmly seated to be unhorsed, and patiently waited until quiet was restored, when she would introduce her ovipositor in the back of the plant-louse and leave an egg to hatch into a tiny larva which should finally eat into the vitals, causing a slow and lingering death. After the Ichneumon had deposited her egg, she quietly dismounted and proceeded to another plant- louse, which would in the same manner become restive, and again the alarm would be commu- nicated to all on the stem. They would hold on to the stem by their beaks, aud kick, and. duce flies soon ai transform on th. which are hatched to pass the wii to transform?. Please note that these images are extracted fr
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjectentomology, bookyear1
