12 EBERH ART'S OUTLINES OF 



CHAPTER III. 



Injurious Lepidoptera. 



The order Lepidoptera (lepis, a scale), comprises the 

 butterflies and moths. They are distinguished from other 

 insects in having their wings covered with minute feathers 

 or scales. 



The larvae are seldom footless. 



The transformations of Lepidoptera are complete. 



Moths are distinguished from butterflies, in that the 

 antennae of the former are pointed at their tip, (occasion- 

 ally, though, they have small side branches), while the an- 

 tennae of butterflies are knobbed or thickened at their ends. 



CUT WORMS. 



The numerous larvae passing under this name, belong to 

 the family, Noctuida 1 , and most of them to the genera 

 Agrotis and Hadena. They are nocturnal in their habits, 



Fie 5. Cut Worm. 



feeding on the roots and tips of herbs. They hibernate, as 

 half-grown larvae, in oval cavities in the ground. As soon 

 in spring as the frost leaves the ground, they ascend to, or 

 near the surface, and pursue their usual method of feeding; 

 many living entirely on roots, and never coming to the sur- 



