Sub-Fam. 7. Coniopterygides.—Minute Insects with very few transverse nervules in the wings; having the body and wings covered by a powdery efflorescence.
These little Insects are the smallest of the Order Neuroptera, and have the appearance of winged Coccidae; their claim to be considered members of the Neuroptera was formerly doubted, but their natural history is quite concordant with that of the Hemerobiid groups, near which they are now always placed. Löw has made us acquainted with the habits and structure of an Austrian species, Coniopteryx lutea Wallg., but for which he has proposed the new generic name Aleuropteryx; the larvae are found on Pinus mughus at Vienna feeding on Aspidiotus abietis, which they pierce with sucking-spears, after the fashion of the Hemerobiides; when full fed they spin a cocoon formed of a double layer of silk, in which metamorphosis takes place in a manner similar to that of other Hemerobiidae. The better-known genus Coniopteryx differs from Aleuropteryx in having the sucking-spears short and nearly concealed by the front of the head, which is somewhat prolonged.
Fig. 317.—Coniopteryx psociformis. Cambridge. (After Curtis.) A, The insect with wings expanded, magnified; B, with wings closed, natural size.
We may conclude this sketch of the Hemerobiid groups by remarking that fossil remains of specimens of most of them have been detected in the Tertiary strata, and that in the Secondary strata these groups are represented by only a small number of fossils, which are referred specially to Hemerobiina, Nymphidina, and Chrysopides.
Fig. 318.—A, Larva of Coniopteryx tineiformis (?). (After Curtis.) B, Head and prothorax of larva of Coniopteryx sp.; C, upper surface of head of larva of Coniopteryx (after Löw), much magnified.
CHAPTER XXI
NEUROPTERA CONTINUED—TRICHOPTERA, THE PHRYGANEIDAE OR CADDIS-FLIES
Fam. XI. Phryganeidae—Caddis-flies.