Science-gossip . l, that it pushes upto the surface and by which it breathes. Thereare some flies of the family Bombylidae that are SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 99 even more like bees than Erystalis, and live withthe wild or humble bees in their nests. Flies are of great use as scavengers, laying theireggs on decaying animal matter. The larvae soonhatch—no longer than in a day in the case ofthe house fly—and find their food surroundingthem. The similar habit of the blow-fly is verywell known, spoiling meat in summer-time, thelarvae being the gentle so dear to anglers; but theharm done is probably more tha
Science-gossip . l, that it pushes upto the surface and by which it breathes. Thereare some flies of the family Bombylidae that are SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 99 even more like bees than Erystalis, and live withthe wild or humble bees in their nests. Flies are of great use as scavengers, laying theireggs on decaying animal matter. The larvae soonhatch—no longer than in a day in the case ofthe house fly—and find their food surroundingthem. The similar habit of the blow-fly is verywell known, spoiling meat in summer-time, thelarvae being the gentle so dear to anglers; but theharm done is probably more than balanced by thegood, as, m addition to the disappearanceof de-caying matter, some very troublesome insects areattacked in the same way. For instance, there isnothing more harmful to plants than the aphis orgreen fly. The larvae of the Syrphus-fly feed on them,and it is a most curious sight to watch the ovi-positing. The fly hovers over a rose or other bushtill it sees a leaf well covered with the green fly,. Fig. 7. Diagram of small predaceous Fly. then settles quietly in the midst of them, lays an eggor two, and then as quietly flies away, seeminglyconscious of having performed a virtuous flies of this genus get their popular name of hover from this habit, and of hawk fromthe male suddenly darting in pursuit of his partner. There are other flies that are well worth watch-ing. Seeing the Scatophaga, the large hairyorange-yellow fly, known to fishermen as the dung fly, seizing and killing a fly as large asitself, is most dramatic. Note the little Siplionageniculata, a fly with a very long and thin proboscis,which it pushes down the tubes of flowers such asthe privet and camomile to suck the honey, ora blue or green bottle fly feeding on a disc of ivyblossom and getting quite drunk with the regret to say this dissipation is very popularwith several orders of insects. Watch the beauti-ful Dolioliojms, a fly of vivid iridescent green,with eyes shining as
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booksubjectscience
