Half hours with insects . -worm six species of ichneumons are known to exist, and aTachina fly is extremely destructive to it. Baron Humboldttells us in tlie Views of Nature that Bombyx Pini, thePine Spinner, the most destructive of all the forest insectsin P^urope, is infested, according to Ratzeburg, by no lessthan thirty-five species of parasitical Ichneumonidaj. AVe have incidentally alluded to the agency of carnivorousinsects in diminishing the numbers of vegetable appellation of ant-lions (Fig. 6, ant-lion in its hole; 17 13 HOURS WITH ENSECTS. [ Fig. 7, adult
Half hours with insects . -worm six species of ichneumons are known to exist, and aTachina fly is extremely destructive to it. Baron Humboldttells us in tlie Views of Nature that Bombyx Pini, thePine Spinner, the most destructive of all the forest insectsin P^urope, is infested, according to Ratzeburg, by no lessthan thirty-five species of parasitical Ichneumonidaj. AVe have incidentally alluded to the agency of carnivorousinsects in diminishing the numbers of vegetable appellation of ant-lions (Fig. 6, ant-lion in its hole; 17 13 HOURS WITH ENSECTS. [ Fig. 7, adult), apliis-lions, tiger beetles, water tigers () and dragon-flies, names borrowed from their fierce four-footed namesakes, are significant of the fierce passions andinsatiable appetites of their six-footed copyists. We were one autumn reminded of the great value of having Fir,. Ant-lion, ailult. a brood of martins or swallows about the farm and garden,when a storm prostrated a martin box, and one of its com-j,jQ_ g^ partments was found literally packed with the dried remains of the littleyellow and black squash beetle. Thegreat and efficient aid of birds is tooapparent to be passed over quote again from the Report ofthe French Commissioners upon thissubject. The commission excludesbirds of prey, such as magpies, ravens,etc., with the exception of buzzardsand rooks, from the benefit of its pro-tection, because the buzzard consumesabout six thousand mice yearly. TheWater Tiger. rooks eat an incalculable amount of white worms. Sparrows, once thought harmful as eatinggrain, are restored and their usefulness shown by reference 18
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectinsects, bookyear1881
