BLA'TTIME, a family of Insects of the order Orthoptera.— Distinguishing characters : tarsi 5-jointed, the under wings folded longitudinally only, head hidden by the thorax; body oval or rounded, and depressed ; antennae long and thread-like, and composed of a great number of very minute pinta ; palpi long; thorax large, slightly convex, generally broader than long, and as it were a shield, covering the head mid base of the wing-cases, which latter are of n parchment like nature, and ramified with nerves ; one elytron laps over the other; posterior extremity of the abdomen is furnished with two conical articulated appendages; legs furnished with spines.
The Blattithe are extremely active voracious insects, some species apparently eating almost anything that comes in their way. Mr. Stephens enumerates seven species indigenous to this country, and four that are not strictly so • among the last mentioned, the well known and troublesome (Blatta orientalis) may be enume rated. It is said to have come originally from Asia, but on this point there is some little doubt ; the nocturnal habits and ravages of this species are too well known to need description. • The male in its mature state has wings extending only half the length of the body ; the female has only rudimentary wings ; her eggs, which are about 16 in number, are deposited inclosed in an oblong, nearly cylindrical, but slightly compressed case, with an elevated serrated edge on one' side : this at first is of a whitish colour, but after a little time becomes brown and of a firm nature; the female carries this case about with her at first, fixed to the abdomen by a gum-like substance. From this
asylum the young make their escape by emitting a fluid which softens a part of the case.
The species of this family have been divided into two genera by Latreille ; Blatta and Eakerlac (a named used for the Blattce by the American colonists), the latter division including those species in which the females are apterous (of which the B. orientalis forms a type), and the former those in which both sexes possess wings.
The number of exotic species of this tribe is very great ; the indigenous species of this country are—B. Gernyanica, pallens, perspi cillaris, Panceri, nigripes, Uvula, pallida, and Lapponica. Most of these are comparatively small, and are found in woods; the last mentioned species is said to swarm in the huts of the Laplanders, where it commits great havoc, and in conjunction with Silpha Lapponica has been known to devour their whole supply of dried fish in a single day.
(Kirby and Spence, Introduction to British Entomology ; Stephenson, Illustrations of British Entomology.)