THE BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS 



183 



MOTHS 



The moths fly by night, are readily attracted to lights, and 

 are often called millers. When at rest the wings are folded 



upon or around the 

 abdomen. The an- 

 tennae are thread- 

 like or feathered, 

 but are never en- 

 larged at the tip. 



In striking con- 

 trast to the butter- 

 flies, most of our 

 moths are little "in 

 evidence, but al- 

 most all of their 

 caterpillars are in- 

 jurious and require 



incessant fighting 



FIG. 282. The white-banded purple butterfly (Litncnitis 

 arthemis Dru.), male 



(After Fiske) 



to control them. 



No attempt will be made to indicate the natural relationships 

 of the families, which will be grouped and described in such a way 

 as to best aid in their recogni- 

 tion. Several of the more un- 

 common families have been 

 purposely omitted from the 

 discussion. 



Three large, nearly related 

 families of small moths are 

 commonly grouped together as 

 Microlepidoptera, on account of 

 their relatively small size in 



J 



contrast to the remaining fam- 

 ilies. The larger moths and the 

 butterflies are termed Macrolepidoptera. This grouping together 

 of the larger and smaller moths is a classification for the conven- 

 ience of the collector and is not based on any specific difference 

 of structure. 



i 



FlG. 283. The canthus butterfly or eyed 



brown (Xeonvinpha canthus Boisd. and 



Lee.), undersurface 



(After Fiske) 



