An elementary manual of New Zealand entomology; being an introduction to the study of our native insects. With 21 coloured plates. By G.V. Hudson ...

Abstract

CHAPTER I. <&mm\l (Observations. In the present chapter I propose to give a brief sketch of the general principles of Entomology, including a rudimentary glance at the anatomy and classification of insects ; after which I think the reader will be in a better position to study the habits and life-histories of the individual species which follow. The first requisite is a definition of what constitutes an INSECT. An Insect is an articulate animal having the body divided into three distinct divisions, viz., the HEAD (Fig. I. A), the THORAX (B), and the ABDOMEN (C). It is furnished with three pairs of legs, and generally has two pairs of wings, and to acquire this structure the creature passes through several changes, termed its metamorphoses. 2 2 NEW ZEALAND ENTOMOLOGY. The head exhibits no distinct divisions, but bears the following appendages : the eyes, antennae, and organs of the mouth, or trophi. The eyes are of two kinds, compound and simple. The former (Fig. I. c c) are situated on the sides of the head above the mouth, and consist of two large hemispheres, composed of a great number of hexagonal divisions, each of which is a complete eye in itself. The latter (s s) are usually three in number, and are situated on the top of the head between the compound ones. They are, however, frequently wanting. The antennae (a) are two jointed organs, one of which is placed on each side of the head, between the eyes ; their functions are at present extremely doubtful, but they are invariably found in all insects. The organs of the mouth consist of the following : the labrum (Fig. II. 3), or upper lip, a horny plate, closing the mouth from above; the mandibles (1 1), or upper jaws, two strong bent hooks, articulated to the head on each side of the mouth, and opposed to one another like scissor blades ; the maxillae (2 2), or under jaws, resembling the mandibles, but more delicately constructed, and furnished with a pair of jointed appendages termed maxillary palpi (5 5) ; and the labium (4), or lower lip, consisting of a horny plate somewhat resembling the labrum, but provided with two jointed appendages termed the labial palpi (6 6). All these organs are subject to great modification in suctorial insects, which I shall notice further on, when dealing with the differences between the various orders. The thorax consists of three primary divisions, viz., the prothorax (Fig. I. b), mesothorax (d), and metathorax (k). The upper surfaces of these are termed the pronotum, mesonotum, and metanotum respectively, and the under the presternum, mesosternum, and metasternum; other divisions exist in some insects, but they are not of a sufficiently

Identification of Chrysopidae in Canada, With Bionomic Notes (Neuroptera)

“…About 2000 specimens were sent in 1925, and another 6000 in 1926. Presumably they arrived and were released, but there is nothing in New Zealand literature to suggest that C. carnea ever became established as a result of this program (Hudson 1950). Again, at a much later date, in a study of winter-active insects in forests near Vancouver, a specimen of C. carnea was collected sometime between November 1939and March 1940(Foster 1942.…”

Kuschelysius, a New Alpine Genus of Eugnomine Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae) from New Zealand

“…Despite the lack of regional or global revisions of the tribe, the lowland eugnomine weevils of New Zealand are reasonably well known and have been named and inventoried through Broun's pioneering taxonomic research [10][11][12][13][14], illustrated accounts of several species by Hudson [15,16] and a key to genera by Marshall [17]. However, it is becoming apparent that the diversity of weevils in alpine areas has yet to be fully appreciated, with many species belonging to several genera being found exclusively above the treeline [18].…”