THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



ON SOME OF OUR COMMON INSECTS. 



PAPER NO. I. 

 BY VV. SAUNDERS, LONDON, ONTARIO. 



This paper is the first of a series in which it is proposed, by numbers 

 of the editorial staff alternately, to describe some of our more common 

 insects, to illustrate them with suitable cuts, and to make the descriptions 

 of so plain a character that the most unscientific reader may be able 

 readily to comprehend their meaning. Since it is one of our aims in 

 publishing the Entomologist to popularize our favorite science, we shall 

 offer no apology for introducing into our journal these readable papers, 

 in which much material may from time to time appear, which, to the 

 scientific reader, may look stale and uninviting. In a recent letter from 

 a correspondent who takes some interest in " bugs," but is not deeply 

 versed in the technichalities of the science, he complains much of the 

 depth of the learning which has been displayed in cur pages during the 

 past, and says that although he has frequently taken a plunge into the 

 depths of the articles, one after another, that he has rarely been able to 

 touch bottom. It will be our aim, then, while still devoting the larger 

 portion of our pages to scientific matter, to introduce something into each 

 future number in which subscribers of similar scientific calibre to the 

 gentleman already referred to, may be able, not only to touch bottom, but 

 t > wander through the shallows with ease, and we hope with some degree 

 of pleasure. 



The first insect of which we propose to treat is one of our commonest 

 butterflies, known as the archippus butterfly ( Danais archippus). This 

 insect is said to hybernate during the winter; it is seen on the wing 

 usually as early as the middle of May, but it is not very common until later 

 in the season. These first few individuals lay their eggs on the leaves of the 

 common milkweed (Asclepias cornnti) and other species of Asclepias, also 

 on the bitter root (Apocyfium androsczmifolium), during the latter part of 

 May or the beginning of June. The eggs, when fresh laid, are white, but 

 in two or three days they become yellow and then dull gray just before 

 the time of hatching. They are -»A-th of an inch long, conical in form, 



