THE FARMER'S FRIENDS 



243 



Useful insects. Many insects are useful because 

 they destroy a large number of injurious insects. The 

 ground beetles, tiger beetles, mud wasps, ladybird 

 beetles, and ichneumon flies belong to the group of 

 useful insects. The ladybird beetle is of great impor- 

 tance in destroying the 

 San Jose scale insects 

 that infest the citrus 

 orchards of California. 

 The ichneumon flies de- 

 stroy the larvae of moths 

 and butterflies by laying 

 eggs on or in the bodies 

 of the caterpillars. The 

 eggs hatch into small 



TOAD 



maggots that kill the 



caterpillars. The bees not only gather honey, but 

 fertilize flowers by carrying pollen from one flower to 

 another. Without this pollination by bees we cannot 

 raise clover seed. Farmers are learning how to make 

 use of friendly insects, and are importing some kinds 

 from foreign countries to help destroy injurious insects. 

 The toad is a great friend to the farmer, and especially 

 to the gardener. This animal eats a remarkably large 

 number of cutworms, army worms, caterpillars, gypsy 

 moths, brown-tail moths, rose chafers, wireworms^ 

 potato beetles, thousand-legged worms, sow bugs, and 

 snails. Toads are so valuable that they ought to be 

 protected. In gardens, natural shelters should be 



