. Marvels of insect life [microform] : a popular account of structure and habit. Insects; Insectes. •91 The Hornet-Fly. The Hornet-Fly. One lit tllf lilrKi'st of imr tHii-w iiigcd (li,.s is alscj ipni' of thr least known. This is the s(i-(:illcil hornLt-fl\',' that may bi' so™ on heaths and downs vigorously ihasinn other Insects anil impalin); them with its stout. hla<k beak. Its general colour is brown, but at tlie base of the lonj,', tapering hind-body there is a broad band of black. It may be assumed that this style of ornamentation has suggested the name; for in flight, when alone the b
. Marvels of insect life [microform] : a popular account of structure and habit. Insects; Insectes. •91 The Hornet-Fly. The Hornet-Fly. One lit tllf lilrKi'st of imr tHii-w iiigcd (li,.s is alscj ipni' of thr least known. This is the s(i-(:illcil hornLt-fl\',' that may bi' so™ on heaths and downs vigorously ihasinn other Insects anil impalin); them with its stout. hla<k beak. Its general colour is brown, but at tlie base of the lonj,', tapering hind-body there is a broad band of black. It may be assumed that this style of ornamentation has suggested the name; for in flight, when alone the body is seen, the tly has httle other resemblance to the largest of our wasps. When the female is at rest, with her long, brown wings disposed over the body and only the pointed tip, there ma\- be some general resemblance to the hornet, to careless observers. We have mentioned the female in this connection, because the male is smaller, and is less likely to be confused with the hornet. l'"roni the head to the tip of the hind-bcKly the female measures a little more (25 mm.) and the male a little less {20 mm.) than an inch. The fore-parts of the body and the legs are covered with long, thick, tawny hairs, and just above the prominent beak there is a bushy moustache of the same colour. The three-jointed antennie are quite short. No doubt, the tapering form of the hind- body, especially that of the female, would produce the impression of the hornet-fly being a stinging Insect; but its only " sting '' is the blood-sucking beak at the other end, though this is equally effective in killing its prey. Its appetite for blood appears to be insatiable, and It does not seem to be afraid of any other Insect, even when provided with defensive weapons in the shape of stings or cutting jaws. One naturalist noted one of these flies that killed eight moths in the space .)f twenty minutes : hut they are as ready to attack wasps, dragon-flies, and tig --beetles, all of them we
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectinsects, bookyear1915
