INSECTS. 



191 



and the legs are of a deep, bronzed, green color ;" Mr. 

 Harris also adds, "that their only food is the leaves of the 

 grape." The Pelidnota is of such a large size, that should 

 its numbers ever become great, it would be very destruc- 

 tive. I have never found more than half a dozen upon any 

 one vine, and these were easily picked off and killed. 



TREE BEETLE. Areoda lanigera. 



This beetle is found mostly upon 

 trees, such as the pear, oak, hickory, 

 etc. ; but having in several instances 

 found it feeding upon the leaves of the 

 grape vine, I have inserted an illustra- 

 tion (Fig. 70) and a description, so that 

 the attention of the vineyardist might 

 be called to it in case its numbers 

 should become so great as to render Fig. TO. 



its destruction necessary. 



It is about nine tenths of an inch in length, broad oval 

 in shape, of a lemon color above, glittering like burnished 

 gold on the top of the head and thorax ; the under side of 

 the body is copper colored, and thickly covered with 

 whitish wool ; and the legs are brownish yellow or brassy, 

 shaded with green. They appear in this vicinity in June. 

 Harris states that the larva of this insect is not known. 



CATERPILLARS. 



Caterpillars are the larvae of butterflies or moths. These 

 insects have four stages of existence : the egg, caterpillar, 

 pupa or chrysalis, arid the perfect insect. Of these it is the 

 caterpillar alone which is troublesome ; they feed upon the 

 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 by night, or toward even- 

 ing only. They are also distinguished by peculiarities of 



