HABITATIONS OF INSECTS. 479 



tlieir growth. Then it is they unite their labours in 

 spinning' the nest just described ; and in this they con- 

 tinue to reside in harmony until they become perfect 

 insects, assuming in it even the state of chrysalis^. 



Habitations similar, as to their general structure, to 

 the above, tiiough diftering in several minute circum- 

 stances, are formed by the larvae of several other moths, 

 as of Bombj/x phceorrhea of Curtis, B. neuslria^ &c. as 

 well as those oi Papilio lo^ P. Cinxia, and some other 

 butterflies ; and even of some Tenthrediadce, which, 

 however, have each a separate silken covering. But 

 as it would be tedious to describe these particularly, 

 I pass on to the habitations formed by insects in their 

 perfect state, which have in view the education of their 

 young as well as self-preservation, describing in suc- 

 cession those of ants, bees, zoasps, and Termites. 



Of these the most simple in their structure are tlie 

 nests of different kinds of ants, many of which exter- 

 nally present the appearance of hillocks more or less 

 conical, formed of earth or other substances. 



The nest of the large red ants (F. rufa, L.) wMch 

 are common in woods, at the first aspect seems a very 

 confused mass. Exteriorly it is a conical mount com- 

 posed of pieces of straw, fragments of wood, little 

 stones, leaves, grain ; in short, of any portable mate- 

 rials within their reach. But however rude its out- 

 ward appearance, and the articles of which it consists, 

 interiorly it presents an arrangement admirably calcu- 

 lated at once for a protection against the excessive 

 heat of the sun, and yet to retain a due proportion of 

 genial warmth. It is wholly composed of numerous 



' Reaum. ii, 179. 



