162 THE LITTLE ERMINE MOTH. 



in this vroik by tlie typical insect, the Litti.h 

 Ermine Moth {Y2:)onomeutapadella). 



This very pretty and very destructive insect 

 derives its popular name from the colour of the 

 upper wings, wliich are glossy satin white, 

 sprinkled with black dots. The lower wings are 

 pale greyish brown. 



In the larval form this insect is terribly 

 destructive, sometimes demolishing the foUage of 

 whole hedges and forest trees, and enveloping 

 them in a mass of silken threads and webs of 

 such size and toughness that even the very 

 sparrows can scarcely make their way through 

 them when they alight on the tree for the purpose 

 of eating the caterpillars. 



Fortunately for the gardener and fruit-grower, 

 the white webs of these caterpillars are very con- 

 spicuous, and the larvae may be destroyed by 

 thousands. One of these webs is shown in cut 

 L, fig. 2, page 23, as it appears when all the 

 inhabitants are within. Some of these webs 

 are six or seven inches in diameter, and contain 

 a vast number of caterpillars. The head of 

 the perfect insect is shown in cut I, fig. 3, page 



'^73E accompanying figure represents an example 



