Tortrix costana. 5. Tortrix sorbiana. a. Galleria, larva, b. Do. palpus of female, c. Do. palpus of male 499 LIX. — 1. Ephippiphora faenella. 1. Ephippiphora scutulana. 3. Peronea

cristana. 4. Cnephasia octomaculana. 6, Xanthosetia zoegana , . 506 LX. — 1. Depressaria nervoseUa. 2. Coleophora ibipennella. 3. Tischeria

complanella. a and b. Depressaria, larva, c. Coleophora, larva, d. Tischeria, larva LXI. — 1. LithocoUetes corylella. 2. Neptieula aurella. a. LithocoUetes,

larva, b, Neptieula, larva 524 LXII. — 1. Ptyelus bifasciatus. 2. Centrotus cornutus. 3. Aphis tilice,

female. 4. Aphis tiliae, male. a. Aphis, leg. b. Do. labium, c. Do. head 637 LXIII. — 1. Sehirus dubius. 2. Head, front view ; a, Central lobe efface;

b, Crown. 3. Head, under side ; a, Eostral channel, with the rostrum or

beak in position. , 4. Head, upper side; a, Ocellus. 5. Head, profile; a,

Rostrum. 6. Rostnim. 7, Antonna. 8. Leg ; a. Fulcrum ; b, Femur, or

thigh ; 0, Tibia ; d. Tarsus. 9. Elytra and wing ; a, Clavus ; b, Corium ; c, Elytron ; d, Membrane ; e. Wing 556

PAGE LXiV. 1. Asopus luridus. 2. Verlusia rhombea. 3. Coreus hirticornis.

Pyrrhoeoris aptems. o,. Do. fore-leg. h. Do. side view of headi showing antenna and tongue 558 LXV. — 1. Neides depressus. 2. Ehyparochromus dilatatus. 3. Henestaris

laticeps. 4. Phytocoris tilise. a. Ehyparochromus dilatatus, leg. h. Do.

head, antenna, and tongue 563 XiXVI. — 1. Systellonotus triguttatus, male. 2. Do. female. 3. Orthoeephalus

hirtus. a. Do. head, antenna, and rostrum, b. Do. tarsus, c. Do. labrum.

d. Do. elytron, e. Do. wing . . . , . . . . .566 LXVII. — 1. Acanthia lectularia. 2. Coranus subapterus. 3. Eeduvius personatus. a. Acanthia lectularia, fore-leg. h. Do. Antenna, c. Do. head,

showing position of rostrum, d. Do. rostrum 568 LXVni. — 1. Hydrometra gibbifera. 2. Hydrometra argentata. 3. Corixa

Geofifroyi. 4. Halticocoris luteicolUs. a. Hydrometra argentata, fore-leg.

h. Do. head, with antenna and tongue 576 LXIX. — 1. Pulex talpse. 2. Pulex irritans. 3. Culex pipiens, male, a.

Pulex talpse, mentum and palpi, h. Do. side view of head. c. Do. palpus.

d. Do. tarsus, e. Pulex irritans, pupa. f. Do. mentum and palpi, g.

Culex pipiens, male, palpus, h. Do. antenna 592 LXX. — Tipula longicornis. a. Side view of head, showing antenna, palpus,

and mouth, b. Pupa. c. Larva, d. Front view of mouth, showing the

two lobes 608

LXXI. — 1. Asilus crabroniformis. 2. Asilus germanicus. 3. Stratiomys

furcata. 4. Eristalis tenax. a. Asilus crabroniformis, tarsus, b. Stratiomys furcata, antenna, c. Eristalis tenax, antenna , . , . .612

LXXII. — 1. Volucellapellucens. 2. Volucellaplumata. 3. Merodon clavipes.

Syrphus lucorum. a. Volucella pellucens, clypeus. b. Do. antenna,

c. Do. ocelli, d. Do. front of head. e. Syrphus lucorum, antenna . ' .623 LXXIII. 1. Syrphus (or Scseva) pyrastri. 2. Conops macrocephalus. 3.

Tachina ferox. 4. Tachina grossa. a. Do. head. 5. Do. antenna, c.

Conops macrocephalus, abdomen of male 625 LXXIV.—l. Musca, or Anthomyialardaria, female, a. Do. antenna. 6. Do.

foot. c. Do. facets of eye. 2. Musca ehloris, male. d. Musca chloris,

head of female, e. Do. tongue, f. Do. antenna 629 LXXV.— 1. Musca domestica. 2. Scatophaga scybalaria. 3. Scatophaga

stercoraria. a. Scatophaga scybalaria, antenna, b. Do. tongue LXXVI.— 1. Phora abdominalis. 2. Ornithomyia fringillaria. a. Phora

abdommahs: head, side view. 5. Do. leg. c. Ornithomyia

log. d. Do. maxilla ... fringillaria, e >

LXXVII.— 1. Hippobosca equina. 2. Stenopteryx hirundinis. a. Hippobosca equina, antenna, b. Do. maxilla, c. Do. fore-leg. d. Stenopteryx

birundinis, fore-leg. e. Do. lip and tongue. /. Do. antenna . . .641 LXX'VIII.— 1. Hsemobora pallipes. 2. Nyetoribia Latreilli. a. Hsemobora,

front view. b. Do. leg. c. Do. meutum. d. Nyetoribia, leg. e. Do.

head, side view ........ <544 LXXIX. — ‘ Setting’ Insects for the cabinet . . 646

Insects At Home.

CHAPTER I.

Introduction.

There is scarcely a branch of science, however interesting

it may he, which does not at first repel the intending student hy the array of strange words with which the treasures of knowledge are surrounded. This is especially the case in Botany and Zoology, which contain, in addition to the usual technical lang-uage, vast numbers of names belonging to various plants or animals, each name consisting of two words, one denoting the genus and the other the species.

That many have been deterred from pursuing a study hedged about with such difficulties is not a matter of wonder, and it is much to be regretted that writers on science too often increase rather than lessen the difficulties by their purely technical mode of handling the subject. The real cause of the general repugnance to science is to be found in the mode of writing adopted by too many scientific writers, who forget the first principles of instructive writing, and do not identify themselves with the minds of those whom they are endeavouring to teach.

The study of Entomology, or the knowledge of insects, has greatly suffered from this cause. It is one of the most fascinating of pursuits. It takes its votaries into the treasurehouses of Nature, and explains some of the wonderful series of links which form the great chain of creation. It lays open

before us another world, of which we have been hitherto unp haps that the unaided eye can scarcely see it, has its work

to do in the world, and does it. Among the insects, too, we find not only instinct, hut reason. We find that in these lesser creatures the passions and emotions of humanity have their counterparts. Love, for example, developes itself in many ways and so does hate ; and, indeed, if the whole Hst of human quahties be examined, there is scarcely found in the insect world. one which cannot be

The habits of insects are very mines of interesting knowledge and It i^s impossible carefully to watch the proceedings of an^ msect, however insignificant, without feeling that no writer of fiction ever invented a drama of such absorbing interest as is acted daily before our eyes, though to indiflferent spectators. Thus, even in the mere structm-e of insects there is more than enough material for the study of a lifetime. Putting aside the wonderful internal mechanism, which ought to be examined when practicable, the outward form is full of interest. We find among insects a variety and brilliancy of colour that not even the most gorgeous tropical flowers can approach, and that some of our dullest and most insignificant little insects are, when placed under the revealing lens of the microscope, absolutely blazing with natural jewellery. The variety of form too, IS quite as boundless as that of colour, so that there is much excuse even for the mere collector, who cares nothing for insects unless he can kill them and set them in rows in a cabinet

In the following pages I intend to describe, as far as possible within so limited a space. Insects at Home, and, though giving the needful scientific information, to use few technical terms, and always to explain those which of necessity must be employed.

Our first business is evidently, when treating of Insects at Home, to define precisely what an insect is. This seems to be a simple matter enough ; but it really is not so, the question being one which has occupied systematic zoologists for many years, and which is even now rather a dubious one in several cases. The word insect is, as a rule, employed very loosely by those who have not studied the subject. Spiders, for example, are generally called insects, and so are woodlice, centipedes, and a variety

of other creatures which have really no right whatever to the title. We will therefore see what an insect really is.

Insects are technically described as being ‘ articulated animals, breathing by tracheae, divided into three distinct ’portions — viz. the head, the thorax, and the abdomen — passing through a series of transformations, and having i/n the perfect or “ winged ” state six articulated legs and two antenncei’

We will now take this description and examine it in detail. The articulated animals are formed on a totally different plan from the vertebrates, molluscs, radiata, or other divisions of the animal kingdom. Their bodies are formed of a series of flattened rings, within which are contained all the muscles and vital apparatus. It will be seen that a vast number of animals come within this definition, which includes not only the insects, but the Crustacea, such as the crabs, lobsters, shrimps, woodlice, and others ; the Arachnida, such as the spiders, scorpions, and mites ; the Myriapoda, such as the centipedes and millipedes ; and the Annelida, of which the common worm is a familiar example. It is necessary, therefore, to find some mode of distinguishing the insects from all the other articulates, and, after much trouble, systematic naturalists have agreed upon the short formula which has already been given.

It is there stated that insects breathe through ‘ tracheae.’ Now tracheae are tubes composed of thin membranes, kept open by a fine but stiff wiry thread, which is twisted spirally throughout the whole course of the tube, just as a modem flexible gas-tube is kept open by a spiral wire, no matter how it may be twisted or bent. This is absolutely necessary in insects, for the tracheae are not confined to a single portion of the body, like the lungs of men or the gills of fish, but permeate the entire insect, passing through all the limbs, and even reaching to the claws which terminate the feet. Any of my readers who wish to see the extraordinary manner in which the breathing apparatus is disposed over the whole body should look at the plates of Strauss Durckheim’s wonderful work on the common cockchafer, a work to praise which would be simply impertinent.

I strongly advise all my readers to examine these marvellous structures for themselves. There is not the least difficulty in

finding them for the real difficulty ie to dissect any part of r of these tubes

tre tS^I f"*

nected ulctedTltT with the ft ™ oval r “<> openings along the sides, which are posfiom from^h^J/T^ the ‘°T‘‘ “penings are called spiracfes, Latin word aprro. because through them the insect

hrea hes Any insect or caterpillar will furnish the tracheal,

hut the larger the better. They should be severed from the body by a pair of fine scissors, then taken out with a pair of forceps, and laid on a glass slide. I have preparation of now before*^ me a the trache® of a silkworm which I made twentvtwo years ago, and it is not the least damaged by keeping.

hese tracheae afford a most important characteristic of the insects, inasmuch as the Crustacea do not possess them at all and the Arachmda means of internal air-sacs. generally, though not always, breathe by

Next, the creature must be divided into three distinct portions This IS the signification of the title Insect, which is derived from two Latin words, signifying cut-into, while the familiar Greek name of Entoma (from which the word entomology is formed) has precisely the same signification. This is, perhaps the most important of all the characteristics, as in the Crustacea and Arachmda the head is merged into the thorax, so that they are divided into two portions instead of three; while in the Myriapoda and Annelida there is no distinct thorax, and sometimes scarcely a distinct head.

Next we come to the transformations which insects have to undergo before they reach their perfect or adult state. All animals really undergo a course of transformation, but in the insect they take four very distinct forms ; namely, the Eo-g the Larva (i.e. caterpillar or grub), the Pupa (or chrysaHs), and the Imago, or perfect insect. Any of my readers who have had silkworms will be practically acquainted with this fact, and will also know that the larva changes its skin, or moults, several times before it assumes the pupal form. The reason foi this casting of skin is evident. The larva, like the perfect insect, is made of a series of flattened rings, or rather, of a double series of hal^ rings, connected along the sides by an elastic membrane, so as to permit the creature to (Ult. breathe and

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