Insects and Other Foes. — 133 



Don't extirpate the skunk. Its perfume is not pleasant, and 

 its skin is valuable. All true ; but a live skunk in a hop-field or 

 garden is worth more, for its good work in hunting and devour- 

 ing grubs, than two dead ones any day, even if they are coal 

 black and their skin worth $2 apiece. 



Learn to know your friends among insects. The common 

 lady, bug lives largely on plant lice, eggs of potato bugs, etc. 

 The ferocious ground beetle hunts and devours canker worms, 

 army worms, and especially cut worms. Four-winged dragon 

 flies feed upon mosquitoes, etc. The soldier bug and the grand 

 labia seem to consider the potato bug larva a dainty dish, and 

 destroy great numbers of them. Species of spider, known famil- 

 iarly as " grand-daddy-long-legs," also make themselves useful 

 by feasting on noxious insects. Blister beetles serve to prevent 

 excessive multiplication of grasshoppers, etc. All these useful 

 insects deserve protection. 



