'"M
f î
lidæ Zeach) ; hence the contradictory accounts of this insect to be found in ditferent
agricultural Avorks.
1630. The small jumping beetle, called by farmers the turnip fiy , istheHá ltíca nemorum,
and belongs to this order. It commences its attack upon the turnip plants Avhen they
first emerge from the ground. I t has been calculated hy an eminent agriculturist, that,
from this cause alone, the loss sustained in 1786, among the turnips in Devonshire, Avas
no less than 100,000/. (Young’s Ann. o f Agr., vol. vii. p. 102.) Pláltica concinna, Aviiich
very much resembles the last, is more particularly destructive to the hop plant, and it is
called the flea hy hop groAvers.* The last coleopterous insect aa'g shall mention is the
ü ermcstes lardàrius, or bacon grub, Avell knoAvn to most liouscAvives, by its devouring
bacon, ham, and aH descriptions of dried meat. The lai-va {jig. 280. / ) is long and hairy,
the pupa (5') soft, and tho perfect beetle (A) is a third of an inch iu length, of a dusky
broAvn colour, Avitli the basal half of the Aving-cases Avhitish, marked Avith black specks.
1631. Orthóptera. This order is distinguished h j the fore pafr of Avings being of a
leathery texture, intei-mediate between the horny wing-cases of the beetles and the
membranous Avings of flies ; they also lap over the hind pair when the insects ai-e at rest.
The mouth is armed Avith strong jaAvs for mastication ; and the insects are active throughout
their whole existence ; the lai-A-æ and pupæ resembling the perfect insects, except that
iu the former the Avings are entirely wanting, Avhilst in the latter they appcai- as rudiments
on the back. The chief divisions ai-e the cock-roaches (.Blâttidæ), the exotic praying
mantes (Mântidæ), and walking-stick insects (Phâsmidæ), and the different Idnds of
locusts, gi-asshoppers, and crickets.
1632. The cock-roach, called by some the black beetle, belongs to an extensive family.
The most pernicious species iu England is the
.Blatta orientàlis (fig. 282. c). I t is now naturalised
in every part of Europe, although
originally imported from India, Like most
of its tribe, it shuns both natural and artificial
light. In the London houses, particulai-ly in
the rooms on the ground floor, it is often very
abundant, and indiscriminately devom-s bread,
meat, flour, and all household stores : as soon
as light appears, hoAvever, it will scamper off
as fast as it can, and vanish in an instant.
A basin or glass vessel baited Avith bread, and
set at night in places AA’-hich they frequent, is
the best trap for them. The eggs are contained
in a singular horny case (a), internally
divided into a munber of transverse partitions
or cells ; the case is rather flattened, and quite
smooth, except on one side, which is toothed.
The larva, the pupa, and the female (A), are
without wings, the latter being larger than the perfect male insect (c.).
1633. The house cricket (Gryllus domésticus X.) is sometimes as abundant in farmhouses,
as the cock-roach is in large toAvns : both insects, in their omnivorous disposition,
arcneai-ly the same. The field cricket (GryUus campéstris) is a larger species, and frequents
di-y pastures. The mole cricket (Gryllotálpa vulgàris L a t.) is one of the largest
and most singularly formed insects in this country ; its fore feet being dilated and toothed
in a manner perfectly resembling those of the mole. It seems to be particularly common
in some parts of Hampshire and Wiltshire, Avhere it frequents gardens and other cultivated
spots. Like the mole, it bun-OAvs underground, raising a ridge of earth as it proceeds,
and sometimes tluroAving up little hills : dm-ing the night, it ventures on the sm-facc.
These insects sometimes do considerable injmy to beds of young vegetables.
1634. The recent appearance q/’many specimens of the migratory locust in this country
induces us to mention this most destructive of all insects in our list of obnoxious British
insects. This species (Zocústa migratoria) is occasionally produced in immense SAvai-ms,
the countless myriads of Avhich change the appearance of a fertile country into that of
an arid desert, reducing Avhole districts to the most ft-ightful Avant, and of Avhich even
the death is a cause of misery, from the immense number of bodies, Avhich, from their
putrefaction, infect the atmosphere with a poisonous effluvium. This statement may be
* Many other species of the family Chrysomélid®, to which the turnip flea-beetle belongs, are also
very injurious to plants ; as is also the asparagus beetle (Crióceris aspàragi). The entire family of lon-
gicorn beetles (Ceramhyx Xm».) burrow in the larva state in solid wood, and from tbeir large size
cause much damage to timber trees. The death-watch (Anbbium pertinax) burrows into the woodwork
of our houses and furniture, and often destroys property to a considerable amount; whilst the
meal-worm (Tendbrio molitor) commits much mischief in barrels of flour, biscuits, &c. Thelady-birds
(Cocciuellidfe) are amongst the few species in this order Avhich are beneficial to mankind, as detailed in
- - t page.
thought too highly coloured ; but the ravages of these insects have emerged frorn^ the
domain of natural history and become portion of the materials of the history of nations,
the different times of their appearance being recorded by the historian equally with
those of the irruptions of barbai-ous hordes. Spain, Italy, Erancc, Turkey, Southern
Russia, Poland, and even SAveden, have been at times visited by the destructive SAva,rms
of this species and one or two others closely allied. Of thcir A^ast numbers some idea
may be entertained when it is stated that during their flight the air is darkened as in a
storm ; and BaiTOAv states that one swarm, in South Africa, covered a space of two
thousand square miles.
1635. The earwig (Forfícula auriculài-ia) and the thrips are also insects too destmctivc
to be omitted in our list, and too well known to require description. Thcir singular
formation has caused each of these insects (and the families to which they respectively
belong) to be raised to the rank of distinct orders, as already noticed. Fig. 2 9 0 ./
represents Thrips physapus of the natural size, and A the same insect gi-eatly magnified.
1636. N e u r ó p t e r a . This order is distinguished by having four membranous Avings,
generally of equal size, identical in texture, and vei-y much reticulated ; the mouth is
ai-mcd Avitli powerful jaws for mastication ; the tail is not provided Avith^ a sting ; and
the transformations ai-e varied, the insects in some groups continuing active throughout
their whole lives, like the Orthóptera ; whilst in others the pupa state is inactive, like
that of the beetles and bees. Such of these insects as have active pupæ approach very
nearly to the Orthóptera, Avitli Avhich they havo sometimes been lAiiitcd. The chief
groups in tliis order are those of the Avhite ants (Termitidæ), stone-flics (Pérlidæ),^May
flies (XJplieméridæ), dragon-flies (LibcUùlidæ), aud ant- and aphis-lion flics (Myrmcleonidæ
and Hcmcrohîidæ). Few of these, although found occasionally in gardens, are among
our more formidable insect enemies, unless, indeed, they happen to appear m considerable
numbers. The general appearance of the dragon-flies. May flies, and moth flies
may be learned h y fig. 283. ; a representing A'grion virgo ; b, X^phcmera vulgata ; and
c, Phi-yganea rhómbica, , x ».•
1637. The white-ants ai-e fortunately not to bo enumerated among the desti-uctive
insects of our own countiy, but the injuries they commit upon the wooden erections and
other Avood-work in tropical regions is very extensive. The dragon-flies must he considered
as insects beneficial to mankind, from the vast numher of other insects which they
destroy; and the same may be said with respect to the ant-lion and aphis-lion flies, the
lai-væ of which consume vast numbers of ants and aphides.
1638. The Ephémeroe, or May flies, are not numerous or in great abundance in this
country ; the lai-gest is the E . vulgata {fig. 283. b) : the under wings in this family m-e
generally very small; and Harris figures a species {Exposition o f Eng. Ins., pi. 6 .1.1.3.)
Avherein they could not be detected, even with the assistance of a strong magnifier, ih e
duration o fth e lives of these insects in their various states is most unequal, and deserves
particular notice. They remain as larvæ for three years ; when ready to become winged,
they rise to the surface of the water, and instantaneously throwing off their cases, the
metamorphosis is at once accomplished. The insect is then furnished with Avmgs, with
which it immediately flies to some convenient place ; it then (unlike all other insects
which have attained tho winged state) throws off a second skin, and in the same
moment becomes a perfect ephemera. In this state all the species live hut a very
short time, some scarcely half an horn-, during which time they consummate their
nuptials, and the females deposit theii- eggs. M. Reaumur has given us a most interesting
account of a species so abundant in Fi'ance and Carniola, that the peasants collect
them in carts for manure, and frequently twenty-five or thiify of these loads arc gathered
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