LETTER XV 



HABITATIONS OF INSECTS 

 CONTINUED, 



The habitations of insects which I shall next proceed 

 to describe, are those formed by the united labour of 

 several individuals. 



The societies which thus combine their operations may 

 be divided into two kinds : 1st, those of which the object 

 is simply the conservation of the individuals composing 

 them ; and 2dly, those whose object is also the nurture 

 and education of their young. To the last head belong 

 bees, wasps, &c. : to the former the larvae of some species 

 of moths, whose labours being the most simple I shall 

 first describe. 



You cannot fail to have observed in gardens the fruit- 

 trees disfigured, as you would probably think them, with 

 what at first view seem very strong and thick spiders' 

 webs. If you have bestowed upon these webs the slight- 

 est attention, you must have likewise remarked that they 

 differ very materially in their construction from those 

 spun by spiders, inclosing on every side an angular 

 space, and being besides filled with caterpillars. These 

 are the larvae of Arctia chrysorrhcea^ and the web which 

 contains them is spun by their united labour for the pro- 

 tection of the common society. As soon as the cluster of 



