CHAP. V.J DESTROYING INSECTS. 107 



eggs have become caterpillars, irreparable mis- 

 chief will be done to our plants before they can 

 possibly be destroyed. Whenever a butterfly 

 is seen quietly sitting on the branch of a tree, 

 in the day-time, it will generally be found to be 

 a female, that either just has laid, or, what is 

 more probable, is just about to lay, her eggs. 

 As soon as the eggs are laid, the butterfly gene- 

 rally dies ; and, where dead butterflies are 

 found, search should always be made for their 

 eggs. 



In summer, a little oblong chrysalis, the 

 colour of which is yellow with black bands, 

 will frequently be found hanging from the 

 gooseberry bushes ; and whenever it is seen it 

 should be destroyed. This chrysalis is the pupa 

 of the magpie moth, the caterpillar of which 

 frequently strips the gooseberry bushes of all 

 their leaves in spring, and thus renders their 

 fruit worthless in summer. 



The caterpillar of the lackey moth is another 

 very destructive insect. These creatures, which 

 are curiously striped, like the tags on a foot- 

 man's shoulder (whence their name), assemble 

 together in great numbers, and, covering them- 

 selves with a web, completely devour the ne>hv 

 part of the leaf on which they have fixed 

 themselves, leaving only the veins ; they then 

 draw another leaf to them, which they also 

 devour, and then another, till the greater part 

 of the leaves of the tree they have attacked 

 present a fine lace-like appearance, as though 

 they had been macerated. Did all these insects 

 live to become moths, they would completely 

 destroy, not only our gardens, but our forests, 



