The moths are of a dark brown color, tinged with tawny-orange, and banded with bright yellow on the edge of the second ring of the body; the fore-wings are dusky, and the hind ones transparent.
Remedies.—No effectual methods of prevention are known; but it is well to inspect the vines, and when the presence of the insects is suspected, examine the roots, to find and destroy the worms.
NEUROPTERA, HYMENOPTERA, AND DIPTERA.
These several orders will be introduced together for convenience, as they may be disposed of in a briefer mention than some of their predecessors; because they do not contain so many species that are noxious by preying upon our cultivated plants. Some are even of advantage to us by their carnivorous propensities.
Among the Neuroptera are several which are aquatic in their larval condition, but when winged, they devour many insects; among these are the Dragon-flies, commonly called Devil's-needles by the children, who dread them, but they are harmless creatures. The Ant-lions were referred to under the head of Aphids, in the consideration of the order Hemiptera, as most voracious destroyers of Plant-lice. Reference was also made to the Lace-winged Flies, Hemerobius, which, in the larval state, consume immense numbers of the same pests. A few of these insects are injurious; among them are the White-ants, Wood-lice, and the Wood-ticks, which are annoying, though they do not affect our crops.
Of the Hymenoptera there are many which, in a perfect state, consume the juices of our choice fruits, as well as the pollen and honey of flowers. Their services among these last, as aids in fertilizing the germs, is often of great importance to the fruit-grower. But, while acknowledging our gratitude to many for this service, and to the industrious bee for gathering abundant stores of the nectared sweets, we have a serious charge to bring against the family for their depredations. The wasps especially are often troublesome, particularly in the vineyard, and their stings are annoying. Some ants are quite injurious.
The larvæ of some species are destructive as wood borers and as leaf-eaters, and others cause an excrescence or warty growth upon the twigs and leaves where the eggs have been deposited; these are called Gall-flies. The great benefits rendered by a very large class of insects in this order, however, may compensate for all the evil done by the others. I refer to the tribe of Ichneumon-flies of several genera. Some of these are very small, and deposit their eggs within other insects, where they hatch and destroy them by feeding upon their juices.
Many of the wasps are predaceous, and destroy numerous insects to feed their larvæ. Some of these exercise a wonderful instinct in preparing and securing this food for their young, which is stored up in safe caskets with the egg, and are ready to serve as food to the young larvæ.
The Diptera, or two-winged insects, form an extensive order, containing many species, and these are composed of very numerous individuals. Flies and mosquitos are exceedingly annoying to man and animals, and many species, in the larval state, consume vegetable matters; but even here they are often of use in consuming decayed vegetation, and like many others of the order may be considered scavengers, consuming, as they do, immense quantities of filth and carrion, that would otherwise continue to taint the air and produce disease.
Some of the most destructive insects of this order are the Gall-gnats, among which are the Wheat-fly and the Hessian-fly, which often sadly interfere with the farmer's prospects.