LEPIDOPTERA 



93 



57. Butterflies. Butterflies comprise two super-famil- 

 ies, the Papilionina or true Butterflies and the Hesperiina 

 or Skippers. They differ from moths in the antennal 

 characters already mentioned, in the fashion of holding 

 the wings while at rest and in the fact that they fly ex- 

 clusively in daytime while moths usually fly at night. 



FIG. 66. Larva of Polyphemus 

 Moth. Reduced. 



FIG. 67. Stages of the Mulberry 

 Silk-worm Moth. Reduced. 



Other characters are less tangible but are, to the expert, 

 no less distinctive. Skippers usually have the antennal 

 club ending in a hook. They have an erratic, jerky 

 method of flight and when at rest usually hold the hind 

 wings horizontal while the front wings are held ver- 

 tical, like the wings of the true butterflies, and the bod- 

 ies give the impression of being stouter and more hairy. 



