66 CALIFORNIA STATE COMMISSION OF HORTICULTURE. 



but by far the greater part of the members of this family are night- 

 fliers. 



Referring again to the antennae, there is always a distinguishing 

 feature here by which we can decide to which class either of these 

 insects belongs, for while moths and butterflies, in some of their forms, 

 so nearly approach each other that it is difficult to tell where to place 

 them, the antennae of the butterfly invariably end in a little club or 

 knob, hence the name. The antennae are always filiform, or thread- 

 like, varying in thickness ; but at the end there will be a knob, which is 

 sometimes prominent, sometimes obscure, and varies in form in different 

 species, but it is always present. With the moths, the antennae always 

 end in a point. In this group, there is a great variation in the form of 

 the antennae; they are feathered or branched, or filiform, sometimes 

 very simple and sometimes very elaborate, but they invariably terminate 

 in a point. 



While, in their perfect state, this order is the most attractive of all 

 the insect tribe, they are, in their larval stage, the most destructive of 

 any. With the exception of the silkworm, whose products we have 

 turned to our use, and a few minor species which are predatory, we may 

 say that the whole order is destructive. They are vegetable feeders, 

 and, in the form of caterpillars, often do enormous damage. Codling- 

 moths, armyworms, cutworms, cankerworms, gypsy-moths, the brown- 

 tail moths, and others of this kind, are too well known to our 

 orchardists, while the housewife is troubled out of her life by the 

 clothes-moth. They are a pest in everything, and do more damage 

 than any of the other insect orders. 



Another distinguishing feature is that, when at rest, the butterflies 

 fold their wings perpendicularly over their backs, while the moths fold 

 theirs horizontally. In the latter, the wings lie flat on the back, or are 

 folded over it roof-like. There is one family of butterflies, commonly 

 known as skippers, which seems to connect the two branches, and in 

 these one pair of wings are folded, as in the butterflies, and the other 

 lie flat, as in the moths. 



The butterflies have well-marked peculiarities which separate them 

 into natural groups, based on the character of the feet and the position 

 of the antennae. In the true butterflies, the head is very narrow, and 

 the feelers are set close together on the top. The club on the antennae 

 is very prominent and well defined. In the skippers, which we have 

 stated seem to form a connection between the two suborders, the head 

 is much broader, the bodies stouter, and the antennae, while ending in 

 a club, are recurved and pointed, and they are widely separated and set 

 close to the eyes. 



It has been previously stated that all insects have six feet, from 

 whence we have the name Hexapoda, applied to this section of the 



