THE GBAPE CULTURIST. 



and Middle States the Broad-necked Prionus (P. laticol' 

 Us) is the most abundant, while in the Western the 

 Tile-horned Prionus (P. imbricornis) is the most fre- 

 quently reported as attacking vines. In California, and 

 eastward to New Mexico, the Prionus Californicus is 

 most plentiful. These beetles are all large, and a female 

 of average size of the Broad-necked Prionus is shown in 

 Fig. 81. Their larvae are also large, varying from two 

 to three inches in length, and some times fully a half 

 inch in diameter. They are really 

 giants among the borers, but fortu- 

 nately they prefer forest trees and 

 shrubs to grapevines, and only oc- 

 casionally breed in the latter. 

 The only remedy is to destroy the 

 beetles ; for the vine usually dies 

 before the presence of the borer is 

 discovered. 



Caterpillars. Caterpillars 

 are the larvae of butterflies or 

 moths. These insects have four 

 stages of existence : The egg, 

 caterpillar, pupa, or chrysalis, 

 and the perfect insect. Of these 

 it is the caterpillar alone which is 

 troublesome ; they feed upon the 

 FIG - 82 - leaves of plants and are often very 



destructive, especially in city gardens. In certain groups 

 the caterpillar becomes, in its winged state, a butterfly, 

 and in others a moth. The former fly by day, and the 

 latter mostly by night, or toward evening only. They 

 are also distinguished by peculiarities of structure not 

 necessary to mention here. The numerous species are 

 recognized by the entomologist by their form, color, 

 structure of legs and antennae, and numerous other char- 

 acteristics which enable him to classify them into genera 

 and families. 



