ORDER LEPIDOPTERA.
The insects of this order are very numerous, and in their larval or caterpillar state they are often very destructive. In the perfect form of butterflies and moths, they commit little or no depredations, because their jaws have been transformed into a sucking apparatus. They consume, in their perfect state, little else than honey.
The order has been divided into three great sections: Butterflies, Papiliones; Hawk-moths, Sphinges; and Moths, or Nocturnes. Of these, the Ægeridæ constitute a very distinct family, resembling bees and wasps rather than butterflies; their caterpillars also differ, being borers, and nearly naked. Butterflies are produced from caterpillars that are not generally very injurious to our crops. Hawk-moths are large insects, and have great power of flight; their caterpillars are large and voracious. It is the moths proper, a very numerous family, which do us the most harm, and which will demand the largest share of our attention. They vary much in size and appearance. Some of the females are destitute of wings.
The Arctians or Woolly Bears, are a very numerous division of the tribe of Bombyces or Spinners, so called from the name of the Silk-worm; some of these will be mentioned.
Orgyia leucostigma, or the Vaporer Moth, is a very beautiful caterpillar, frequently seen upon our fruit trees, though not confined to them. They feed separately, and therefore we can best destroy them in the egg. Fortunately, these may easily be found during the winter, for the female, being wingless, never quits her cocoon, but deposits the eggs in a mass upon the outside of it. The whole contrivance is one of the many illustrations of the wonderful instinct of insects. When about to spin, the worm secures two or more leaves, by entwining her silk about their stems, and also around the woody twig upon which they grow; she then attaches them together by bands of silk, and spins her cocoon between them. She thus secures a winter resting place for her eggs, and her progeny, when they hatch the next summer, are upon the tree that furnishes them their appropriate food. These dead leaves will attract our attention during the winter, and should be gathered and burned. Many of the caterpillars are destroyed by a little Ichneumon-fly.
Orgyia antiqua, or the Rusty Vaporer Moth, of Europe, has been introduced into this country, and has been quite destructive to thorn-hedges in Rhode Island. They may become troublesome to our orchards.
Several of these Arctians, or Tiger-moths, may be seen about our houses on a summer evening, as they are chiefly nocturnal. One of the most common is
Arctia phalerata, or the Harnessed Moth, so called from the markings on its wings. Another distinctly marked one is Callimorpha militaris, now called C. Lecontei. Beautiful illustrations of these are given in Dr. Harris' Report.
Spilosoma Virginica, is the beautiful White Moth, or "Miller," that we see in May; it is the imago or perfect insect of a large hairy caterpillar, of a yellowish color, frequently seen in our gardens, and quite destructive to vegetation.
Hyphantria textor, or the Fall Web-worm, is very troublesome upon shrubs and trees during the summer and fall. They are called the Web-worms from their habit of feeding gregariously in large numbers, and spinning a web that envelopes the leaves and the whole branch, as they devour the foliage.