Note Book VIII. Chap. 6. Note (d) — BOOK VIII.

[d] The Insects that infest Fruits, are either of the Ichneumon-Fly Kind, or Phalænæ. Plums, Pease, Nuts, &c. produce some or other Ichneumon-Fly. That generated in the Plum is black, of a middle Size, its Body near ³⁄₁₀ Inch long, its Tail not much less, consisting of three Bristles, wherewith it conveys its Eggs into Fruits: Its Antennæ, or Horns, long, slender, recurved; its Belly longish, tapering, small towards the Thorax; Legs reddish; Wings membranaceous, thin and transparent, in Number 4, which is one Characteristic of the Ichneumon Fly.

The Pease Ichneumon-Fly, is very small, Wings large, reaching beyond the Podex; Antennæ long; Alvus short, shaped like an Heart, with the Point towards the Anus; it walketh and flieth slowly. No Tail appears as in the former; but they have one lieth hidden under the Belly, which they can at Pleasure bend back to pierce Pease when they are young and tender, and other Things also, as I have Reason to suspect, having met with this (as indeed the former two) in divers Vegetables.

Pears and Apples I could never discover any Thing to breed in, but only the lesser Phalæna, about ⁴⁄₁₀ Inch long, whitish underneath; greyish brown above (dappled with brown Spots, inclining to a dirty Red) all but about a third Part at the End of the Wings, which is not grey, but brown, elegantly striped with wavey Lines, of a Gold Colour, as if gilt; its Head is small, with a Tuft of whitish brown in the Forehead; Antennæ smooth, moderately long. The Aurelia of this Moth is small, of a yellowish brown. I know not what Time they require for their Generation out of Boxes; but those I laid up in August, did not become Moths before June following.