. Annual report. Entomological Society of Ontario; Insect pests; Insects -- Ontario Periodicals. r. Fi-. 81. Fij. 82. Tig. 83. Fi". 84. ^. m-i. Who 13 there, indeed, that has not set one on outstretched finf^er and sung to it in childish glee, "Lndy-bird, Lady-bird, fly away home, your bouse is on fire and jour children all burned!"? In France they are much also, and called by children "Betes ii bon Dion," " Vaches de la Vierge," etc. ; and in England they are termed Lady-cows as well as Lady-birds. Tlie general colours of those insects are yellow,
. Annual report. Entomological Society of Ontario; Insect pests; Insects -- Ontario Periodicals. r. Fi-. 81. Fij. 82. Tig. 83. Fi". 84. ^. m-i. Who 13 there, indeed, that has not set one on outstretched finf^er and sung to it in childish glee, "Lndy-bird, Lady-bird, fly away home, your bouse is on fire and jour children all burned!"? In France they are much also, and called by children "Betes ii bon Dion," " Vaches de la Vierge," etc. ; and in England they are termed Lady-cows as well as Lady-birds. Tlie general colours of those insects are yellow, red or orange,with black spots ; and black, with red, white, or yellow .spots ; their shape is hemispheric::!, and though they vary somewhat in size, an average specimen bears a considerable resemblance in size and figure to an ordi- nary split pea; they have but very short legs and therefore creep but slowly ; their powers of flight, liowever. are considerable. When alarmed they fold ud their legs under the bcdy and drop to the ground, and if handled they emit a yellowish fluid from the joints of the limbs whic-h has rather a strong and disagreeable smell. In old times this fluid was considered to be an admirable .specific for toothaclie ! We have never,however,posscssed sufficient courage to test its qualities in this respect ourselves I As every one knows—or cert:unly ought to know by this time—the Lady-birds, both in their larval and perfect states, feed up m the obnoxious plant lice (Aphides), and are tlius of the utmost service to the g:irdjiisr, orehardistand hop-grower. .?;oms species also prey very successfully upon the dreaded Colorado beetle, and assist beneficially in reducing the numbers of this new insect plague.* More than thirty species of this family of beetles are known to inhabit Canada. Atten- tion h:is so frequently been drawn to them in the course of these reports, that we need do no mor" lhans:iy—spare their lives and encourage their propagatio
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectinsectp, bookyear1872
