82 BRITISH INSECTS 



So far as British species are concerned, it will be 

 found that the antennae of butterflies are clubbed at 

 the tip, whereas those of moths, notwithstanding their 

 great diversity of form, usually terminate in a point. 

 Nevertheless, we shall do well to admit frankly that 

 no sharp line separating moths from butterflies can be 

 drawn. 



The order Lepidoptera is represented in the British 

 Islands by considerably more than 2,000 species. 

 These fall into numerous families, of which only the 

 more important can be mentioned here. 



The family Micropterygidce includes the least special- 

 ized moths, which are evidently related to the caddis- 

 flies. The species are all small, and unlikely to 

 attract the notice of the casual student. It is worthy 

 of note, however, that in one genus the mandibles of 

 the adults are developed, and that throughout the 

 family the pupa is free, with functional jaws, which it 

 uses to extricate itself from the cocoon. The perfect 

 moths fly in springtime round the branches of trees, 

 while the larvae feed (according to their genus) either 

 in wet jnoss or in the soft tissues of leaves. 



The well-known swift-moths 1 are also of lowly 

 origin, and agree with the members of the preceding 

 family in certain details of structure, notably in 

 possessing a jugum at the base of the fore-wing. The 

 pupa, however, has no mandibles. The larvae feed on 

 roots, and often take two years to attain their full 

 growth ; but the adults have rudimentary mouth- 

 parts, take no food, and hence are short-lived. The 

 family includes five British species, the most inter- 

 esting being the ghost-swift. 2 The male, which has 

 shining white wings, hovers in the evening above 

 1 Hepialidce. * Hepialus humuli. 



