INSECTS 



OF 



MASSACHUSETTS 



INJURIOUS TO VEGETATION. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Insect defined. — Brain and Nerves. — Air-pipes and Breathing-holes. 

 Heart and Blood. — Insects are produced from Eggs. — Metamorpho- 

 ses, or Transformations. — Examples of Complete Transformation. — 

 Partial Transformation. — Larva, or Infant State. — Pupa, or Inter- 

 mediate State. — Adult, or Winged State. — Head, Eyes, Antenna, 

 and Mouth — Thorax or Chest, Wings, and Legs. — Abdomen or 

 Hind-body, Piercer, and Sting. — Number of Insects compared with 

 Plants. — Classification. Orders. Coleoptera. Orthoptera. Hemip- 

 tera. Neuroptera. Lepidoptera. Hymenoptera. Diptera. Other 

 Orders and Groups. — Remarks on Scientific Names. 



The benefits which we derive from insects, though neither few 

 in number, norinconsiderable in amount, are, if we except those of 

 the silk-worm, the bee, and the cochenille, not very obvious, and 

 are wholly beyond our influence. On the contrary, the injuries 

 that we suffer from them are becoming yearly more apparent, and 

 are more or less within our control. Before suitable remedies 

 can be discovered, and effectually applied, it is necessary that our 

 insect enemies should be recognised, and their habits generally 

 known. The instructions of His Excellency Governor Everett 

 seemed to point to the economical advantages to be derived from 

 natural history, as the most proper objects of our consideration. 

 These instructions, together with the nature and extent of the 

 branch of natural history assigned to me, have led me to think 

 that some account of the insects injurious to vegetation in Massa- 

 chusetts would be acceptable and satisfactory to the governor, and 

 to the people of this Commonwealth. 



