183 



C ATEBPILLA.il PESTS. 



some time infested with caterpillars which eat the leaves. This is the 

 most common way in which herbivorous insects feed; a very large 

 number of caterpillars are confined only to wild plants, whilst a smaller, 



Fm. 208. 



Hairy leaf-eating Caterpillar and its Pupa, 



though still large, number have been found upon cultivated plants in the 

 plains of India. 



In most cases a few caterpillars are found on the plant, not sufficient 

 to do any injury and often doing some 

 ultimate good by effecting a simple prun- 

 ing and manuring which stimulates in- 

 creased production of flowers and seed. 

 If the caterpillars increase or continue to 

 infest the plants for a prolonged period, 

 they cause an appreciable or total loss of 

 the crop. 



Caterpillars of this kind are so common 

 that they are often neglected until they 

 multiply to such an extent as to do serious 

 injury; they cannot then be checked by 

 the simple measures that would have been 

 successful if adopted in good time. 



FIG. 209. 



Moth of cominon vegetable 



Caterpillar. Wings in repose. 



(Magnified three times.) 



Leaf -eating caterpillars destroy the tissue of the leaves; if few in 

 number they eat holes in the leaves ; these holes or the little grains of 



