A GUIDE TO THE EXHIBITED SERIES OF INSECTS, 1908

BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY) CROMWELL ROAD, LONDON, S.W ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT INSECT SECTION A GUIDE TO THE EXHIBITED SERIES OF INSECTS WITH 62 ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON PEINTED BY ORDER OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM 1908 [All rights reserved) Z ^>Z^5'S LONDON PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, DUKE STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E., AND GREAT WINDMILL STREET, W PREFACE As considerable time must necessarily elapse before the arrangement of the exhibited series of insects can deemed advisable to one or two exceptions for this work, The issue the all be completed, present provisional has been "With the figures have been especially prepared and have been made from specimens full-page it Guide are illustrations all from in the Museum photographs of actual specimens exhibited in the Gallery To facilitate reference all the specimens have been numbered, except those under arrangement OHAS Beitish Museum (Nat Hist.), Ixsect Section January 27th, 1908 WATERHOUSE TABLE OF CONTENTS page General Arrangement op the Gallery Structure and Classification of Insects Order Aptera (Springtails, Fish Insects) ,, Orthoptera Hemimeridse Forficulidse (Earwigs) 12 15 15 16 Phasrnidse (Stick- and Leaf-Insects) 18 Mantidse (Mantids) 19 Blattidae (Cockroaches) 20 Gryllidee (Crickets) 22 Phasgonuridee (Long-horned Locusts) 23 Locustidse (Locusts, Grasshoppers) ,, Neuroptera Isoptera (White-ants) 25 27 ^7 Corrodentia (Bark- and Paper-Mites) 31 Plecoptera (Stone-flies) 31 Sialida (Alder-flies) 32 Planipennia (Lace-wings, Ant-Lions) 32 Agnatha 3G (May-flies) Odonata (Dragonflies) 38 Trichoptera (Caddis-flies) 10 Mallophaga (Bird 11 lice) Lepidoptera (Moths, Butterflies) Hymenoptera (Wasps, Bees) 42 15 Diptera (Flies, Fleas) Coleoptera (Beetles) 5G Rhynchota 56 (Bugs, Cicadas, Froth-flies) 53 GUID E TO THE EXHIBITED SERIES OF INSECTS The specimens of insects exhibited in the gallery are only a very The main small representative series study is is collection for the purpose of Room kept in cabinets in the Insect in the basement It estimated to contain 1,150,000 specimens, and comprises about 155,700 named species, occupying 13,000 drawers and 602 boxes The public gallery is only partially arranged The specimens are in table-cases placed down the centre of the gallery, numbered 29 to 56 The large specimens which are unsuitable for the table-cases are placed in the wall-cases at the sides of the gallery On each side of the gallery will be seen models (1-85) arranged on shelves, to from agricultural or cultural points of view have been chosen and other Homoptera Attention of Rhoclites eglanteriw, nervosus why Where illustrate the life histories of various insects possible species likely to be of interest is and these three insects, which are so horti- Nos 11-21 are Aphides called to the three rose galls The reason rosea (23, 25, 27) much alike that they require an expert to separate them, produce such different galls has never been satisfactorily explained 29-47) To understand the (Cynipielee, mind is The series particularly series of oak of made by galls Gall-flies deserving of careful attention galls (29-43), it must be borne that the males only exist in alternate generations, and fchat in the females which appear in the same generation as the males are often so different from the females of the previous and following generations that until this fact was genera Hence there known exists a the insects were placed double sei of names in different for the same B GUIDE TO INSECTS A species, and these are still used, but as a matter of convenience only The common "oak-apple" (39) and females that come oat of is a very good example The males these are called Andricus terminalis These females deposit their eggs on the roots of the oak, and produce From come small woody much larger wingless insect, called Biorhiza a/ptera galls these root galls in the winter a These are all and deposit their eggs in the buds, which in the spring develop into the well-known oak-apples The marble gall (43) is still an enigma The insects that come from these, Gynips Kollari, are all females Although this insect is so common, the male has hitherto baffled all efforts to discover it Other galls of Cynipidce are one on ground ivy formed by Aulax glechomcR (45), and a curious swelling in the stem of bramble formed by Diastrophus rubi (47) On the east side of the gallery will be found models relating to females They crawl up the tree Coleoptera (49-59), Hymenoptera (61-71), Lepidoptera (73-85), and Diptera (87) The larva? of a great many Phytophagous The beetles live on the under sides of leaves, eating the soft parts Mustard beetle, Phmdon cochlear ise (49), sometimes attacks cultivated mustard with disastrous consequences, as the larvae eat the flower buds as well as the leaves Another model of great interest is one showing apple-buds injured by the Apple-blossom weevil, Anthonomus pomorum (53) The remarkable way in which certain weevils cut and roll leaves to form their nests is illustrated by Attelabus (57) on oak, and Rhynchites (59) on birch The models relating to Hymenoptera include cherry injured by Slug- worm, Blennocampa c era si galls on willow formed by another saw-fly, Nematus gallicola (61) a third shows the gregarious habits of Pamphilus flaviventris (63) the way in which the Leaf-cutting Bee, Megachile ivilUtgh(45) hlella (71) forms its nest is shown by a single cell separated into ; ; ; pieces All the groups of Lepidoptera (73-85) will repay study the one that has received the most attention is ; perhaps the oak attacked by Tortrix viridana (77), the trees in the spring often being stripped of their leaves The by this insect and Moths, including the beautiful colby the Rt Hon Lord AValsingham, will be found in cabinets on the west side of the gallery The other British Insects are in cabinets on the east side A large case on the east wall is devoted to a description of the The series is not yet complete external anatomy of insects British Butterflies lection of Caterpillars prepared GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF GALLERY •BJ9;dO9[O0 JO tlOI^OUISSBJO CO f£ 54 53 Hymenoptera Classification of 99 99 p< CO ci Galls r < ar •sdsi3A\ CD pne s^uy O jo S}S9£ bd CD 39 19 49 50 Hive Bees Bees ^ •sqiOK "to B1 LV 817 "^ 45 46 Cloths Moths w "5 w swS c (B it if •sinojt •sinoK to ei7 2~£ —tt ' 5" t: 42 41 x c3 3a: g Ot7 68 37 38 Dragonfiies Caddisflies £ C | fcj ss 1-3 -so •saiuuoSu.nj •saiu-XBTt a: •suoiiiuy -sSniAv-aoBi •S9iy-.i9piy 98 '< tckroaches vpiinuK i OflO w rt ? -S J:; 98 34 33 ( •< Locusts Crickets sS] -suiusBiia; sn'B^Snuds \ui:;.| Z£ * 30 29 Introductory [nsects, introductory case series TABLE CASES Wesl Entrance "I l_ Bast Entrance — — GUIDE TO INSECTS In arranging the gallery the intention lias been to begin with the most primitive forms (which are nearest to the Centipedes and Millipedes in the next part of the gallery), and to proceed from these most removed to the higher forms, or those in their structure from the primitive type much as possible but the names having no English equivalents, are shown in a diagram of a Cockroach in the cover of the first table-ease The following words are also in use Scientific terms are avoided as an of the parts of ; insect, : Apterous Joint —Without wings — This applied is to antennae, palpi and Metamorphoses the parts or segments of the tarsi — The changes undergone by an insect as it grows to maturity Neuration — The wings of an Ovipositor arrangement of the veins or nerves in the insect —The instrument used by the female insect in depositing eggs Puncture —A mark on a surface as made with if a pointed instrument Geniculate —Applied are bent at The to the antenna? of an angle following diagram in the (fig 1) middle ; an insect when they elbowed shows the relationship which is believed to exist between the various Orders of insects The following the cases is the sequence in which the Orders are placed in : Altera, Orthoptera, Neuropiera, Trichoptsra, Lepidoptera, Hyme- noptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Rhynchota (lass IXSKCTA (Table-cases 29-56.) Insects are small animals whose bodies are divided into three regions, called respectively the head, thorax and abdomen They breathe by means of trachece or air tubes distributed through the body, but opening externally by means of orifices, called spiracles, placed at the sides of the body They have six legs, which arc attached respectively to the three portions or segments of which the B = C WASPS AND BEES 51 this cover, and when completed is closed in with a cover in the same way, a passage through the comb being left for access to the first row A third row of cells is then built in the same way (fig 55 c) The Brazilian wasps of the genera Polylia, Chartergus, and numerous eta, build in this way, nests are covering of the nest of Chartergus chartarius smooth, and in this and in its is exhibited The nearly white and Wallcase lo# Tabl to texture exactly resembles card, whence has been called "the Card-making Wasp." One very large example (575, fig 56), from the river Amazon, presented by Mr G- Brocklehurst, exhibited contains twenty-two rows or storeys In Wall-case 16 are various nests of bees Species of the genus WallOsmia will make a nest in any place which appears to them suitable, case 16, garden locks are sometimes chosen A pipe with cells of Osmia rufa is exhibited (647), and another still more curious example is a book This book was in a book-case pressed with a series of cells (631) this left just room for the bee to get behind it against the back It is from Hawkhurst, Kent, and was presented by Miss Evelyn Hardcastle Another nest built between two flowerpot saucers is it ; exhibited in Table-case 50 Three disused birds'-nests which have been used by humble-bees to build nests in exhibited (639, 643) are One of these nests from East Clandon, Surrey (641), has been attacked by a moth (Aphomia), the caterpillars of which having fed on the wax of which the bees' cells are made, have spun their cocoons on the top At the top of this case will be seen a single comb of great size formed by an Indian honey-bee, Apis clorsata (609) This honeybee, unlike the common honey-bee, Apis melifica, does not build in hollow trees, etc., but suspends the combs without covering from the branches of trees An excellent photograph of a group of combs of this species is shown in Table-case 49, which is devoted to the explanation of the habits of honey-bees Table- Greatly enlarged drawings case 49 show the difference in the structure of the queen, drone and worker The worker has the femur clothed with long barbed hairs (fig 58 a) the tibia is concave on the outer side, the edges are furnished with long-curved hairs, the whole making a sort The apex of the tibia is of basket in which pollen is collected {!)) furnished with a series of teeth like a comb, with which the wax is removed from the abdornen (c) The underside of the first joint of are exhibited to ; stiff hairs, the whole forming a brush with which to collect the pollen and put it into the basket on the tibia (d) Other points of interest in connection with this bee are the tarsus has rows of short E - 52 GUIDE TO INSECTS explained by drawings and specimens to notice the flakes The visitor should not fail of wax removed from the abdomen of a specimen Fig 57 Legs of queen honey bee Fig 58 a Legs of worker honey bee It will be seen that these are nearly transparent, and it is only after being worked by the bee's month that they lose this transparency Other bees are shown in Table-case 50 Fig Nest of Polistes orientalis (353) Fig Nest of a 52 A Nat Size 53 Species of Icaria Photographed from specimens (359) in the } Nat Size Museum.) To fa< " AND FLEAS FLIES Among 53 the Carpenter-bees, Coptorthosoma, from Ceylon should The females be noticed at the base of the a mite, Greenia have a cavity on the upper side found The object of choosing this curious abode is at of this bee abdomen, aud in this cavity are constantly present unknown Another object of great interest in this case is the spoon-shaped made by a very small stingless bee, Trigona colli na, from Singapore, presented by Mr H X Ridley These bees live together in enormous numbers They build in the hollows of old trees The nest consists of an irregular mass of large cells and galleries made of resin In the centre are the small breeding cells entrance tube made Many of wax of the large cavities in the resinous part are The entrance to the nest is by means of a tube such as that shown in the Table-case The resin of which these nests are built is collected by these small bees in such with pollen, stored for food filled that the masses are of commercial value." It is market as " damar." In Burmah it is called " poonyet or " pwai-uyet." A large mass weighing fifteen pounds is shown at the bottom of Wall-case 16 quantities large known in the Order The are DIPTERA insects of this order are called Flies, with They undergo associated which the Fleas complete metamorphosis a The perfect insect has the head free, the attachment to the thorax being very slender The thorax is mesothorax and metathorax certain extent problematical The compact is ; the union of the prothorax, so complete that their limits are to a Two styles of mouth parts are met which the mandibles and niaxillaB are very long and needle-shaped, enclosed in the labium which forms a sheath, as in the gnats the second in which the mandibles and maxilla3 are not manifest, whilst the labium is a soft fleshy organ, concealed in the with first in ; mouth cavity when at rest, but, being jointed, extended when the insect is feeding is capable of being The Common House-fly is a good example The larvae are for the most part without legs, grubs or maggots, with very small heads The larvae of gnats, however, which live in water have large heads and well-developed mouth parts, and are of quite a different character of some of the The pupae They are extremely active most interesting species are exhibited are very variable Drawings in Table-ease 56 ; GUIDE TO INSECTS 54 Considerable attention lias been given of late to the biting and blood-sucking species Besides the gnats (for which the Spanish word mosquito is frequently used), some of the most troublesome are the biting midges Ceratojpogon pulicaris is one of the commonest : Fig 59 Fig 60 Glossina longipcnnis (Slightly enlarged.) Ceratojpogon pulicaris (Greatly enlarged.) Specimens will be British Diptera found in Drawer 24 (fig of the cabinet containing the 59) Among the Tabanidcc, or Horse-flies, species of Hwmatopota and Chrysops are the most to be dreaded Specimens are in Drawer 21 Among the Muscidce, Stomoxys is one which causes much annoyance and it is the allied flies of the genus Glossina, or Tsetse-flies, of which there are several species, which are so dreaded in Africa, since by means of their bite, the parasites causing sleeping sickness and nagana (Tsetse-fly disease among animals) are conveyed Specimens of Stomoxys are in Drawer 23 of the British Diptera, and examples of Glossina are in Drawer 18 of the general series of Diptera in a cabinet on the west side of the gallery (fig 60) A small series of flies will be found in Drawers 16-19 of a cabinet on the west side of the gallery In Table-case 56 will be found a few examples of Fleas (Pulicidce), Common A Most with drawings of considerable of the egg, larva and pupa of the Flea (Pulex irritans) them live number of different kinds of fleas are known on Mammals and Birds, or are associated with f "oil - 00 FLEAS The them flea, The larvaa often breed in birds' nests, &c Hystrichopsylla talptz, is largest found in the nests of moles and The Common Flea breeds in neglected known mice field dirty houses, and the Fig 61 Egg, larva, pupa and imago of the common flea (Pulex irritans) Fig 62 Jigger flea (Sarcojpsylla penetrans) larvae, fluffy Female with the abdomen distended which arc very active Little creatures, have been found in matter that had been allowed to collect between floor boards also in old ; wooden bedsteads The '-Jigger" Flea (Sarcopsylla penetrans) is a much smaller GUIDE TO INSECTS 56 insect of a yellowish colour It buries itself in the flesh of small attacks the toes, and if not Its body, partly by removed causes a severe wound sucking moisture and partly by the development of the eggs, becomes greatly swollen, sometimes to the size of a small pea It animals and man It particularly speedily a native of tropical America, but has been introduced into Africa where it has spread rapidly It has also been found in Madagascar and China The natives in Africa who neglect to remove them is frequently lose their toes in consequence Order The insects of this The very large They have complete imbedded in the prothorax, which is Order are called Beetles The head metamorphoses COLEOPTERA is front wings, called elytra, are not used in flight, but are hard and serve as covers to the hind wings, which are folded in a complex manner beneath them When at rest they meet in a straight line They down the back and not cross one another commonly divided into thirteen sub- Orders, are the which are explained by drawings and specimens arranged in a tabular form in Table-case 55 A series of specimens will be found in Drawers 2—4 of a cabinet on the west side of the gallery This series only extends as far as the Briprestidcc The remainder will be exhibited as soon as principal characters for distinguishing circumstances permit Order RHYNCHOTA This Order includes the Bugs, Cicadas, Froth Flies, Aphids, and Scale Insects in They undergo incomplete metamorphoses The head prothorax which is very large The mouth the is is imbedded modified form a long proboscis, formed for piercing and for sucking juices it lies beneath the body when at rest, directed back wards so as to ; They are divided into two sub-Orders, the Hemiptera and Homoptera The former have the base of the front wings leathery, the apical part membranous, crossed over one another when at rest This sub-Order includes all the Plant Bugs, Tree Bugs, House Bug, &c BUGS, FROTH-FLIES 57 The Homoptera have wings of the same texture throughout, held when at rest This sub-Order includes the Cicadas, Froth- roof-like Aphids, &c A small series of specimens will be found in Drawers 9-16 in a cabinet on the West side of the gallery The Common House Bug (Cimex lectularius) feeds on moisture drawn from pine wood, hence it is often found breeding behind pictures left undisturbed and behind wainscots This species is not met with in England away from houses, but three species (Cimex colombaria, C hiruncUnis and jjijnstrelli) are found in the nests of pigeons, swallows and bats respectively flies, INDEX Agnatha, Isoptera, 27 36 Alder-flies, 32 Jigger Ants, 46 Lace-wings, 35 Leaf-insects, 18 Ant-lions, 36 Aphidse, flea, 55 Lepidoptera, 2, 42 Aptera, 12 Locustidse, 25 Bees, 51 Locusts, 26 Bird Long-horned Locusts, lice, 41 Mallophaga, Blattidse, 20 42 Bugs, 56 MantidEe, 19 Butterflies, 42 May-flies, 36 Caddis-flies, 40 Moths, 2, 42 Neuroptera, 27 Odonata, 38 Cockroaches, 20 Coleoptera, 2, 56 Corrodentia, 31 Orthoptera, 15 Crickets, 22 Paper mites, Cynipidte, Perlidte, 31 Death-watches, 31 31 Phasgonuridse, 23 Diptera, 53 Phasmids, Dragonflies, 38 Pine-borer, 46 Earwigs, 16 Planipennia, 32 18 Fish-insects, 14 Plecoptera, 31 Fleas, 55 Flies, 53 Praying Mantis, Rhynchota, 56 ForficulidEe, 16 Saw-flies, 2, 45 Galls, Scorpion-flies, 33 1, 46 Golden-eyes, 35 Sialida, 32 Grasshoppers, 25 Slug- worm, Gryllidse, 22 Snake-flies, 33 Hernirnerus, 15 Springtails, 12 Heniiptera, 56 Stick-insects, 18 Homoptera, Hornet, Stone-flies, 31 57 Termites, 27 Trichoptera, 40 49 Horse-flies, 54 House-fly, 53 Hymenoptera, 2, Ichneumons, 46 Tsetse, 54 45 Wasps, 47 White-ants, 27 19 23 ... the perfect the chrysalis state grow perfect insect after they get to this state the larva and pupa stages are nearly similar, and both Fig Larva, pupa and imago of a Brazilian locust, Titanacris... grow to maturity The morphoses, stages are : The The egg The larva insect as it leaves the egg ; the grub or caterpillar state ?> The pupa state The ; The imago Insects not When The stage immediately... side of the gallery The other British Insects are in cabinets on the east side A large case on the east wall is devoted to a description of the The series is not yet complete external anatomy of