﻿LEPIDOPTERA 



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The female has no gonapophyses, though in certain excep- 

 tional forms of Tineidae, there are modifications of structure 

 connected with the terminal segments, that have as yet been 

 only imperfectly investigated. As a rule, the egg is simply 

 deposited on some living vegetable and fastened thereto. 

 Lepidoptera are the most exclusively vegetarian of all the Orders 

 of Insects ; a certain number of their larvae prey on Insects 

 that are themselves filled with vegetable juices (Coccidae, 



Fig. 157. — Metamorphosis of a Lepidopterbn {RhegmatophUa alpina, Notodontidae). 

 (After Poiijade, Ann. Sue. ent. France, 1891.) Europe. A, Egg: B. young larva, 

 about to moult ; C, adult larva ; D, head and first body-segment of adult larva, 

 magnified ; E, pupa, x -j- ; F, male moth in repose ; G, female moth in repose. 



Aphidae) and a very small number {Tinea, etc.) eat animal 

 matter. In general the nutriment appears to be drawn ex- 

 clusively from the fluids of the vegetables, the solid matter 

 passing from the alimentary canal in large quantity in the form 

 of little pellets usually dry, and called frass. Hence the 

 quantity of food ingested is large, and when the individuals 

 unduly increase in number, forest trees over large areas are 

 sometimes completely defoliated by the caterpillars. 



Lepidoptera pass a larger portion of their lives in the pupal 

 stage than most other Insects do ; frequently during nine months 

 of the year the Lepidopteron may be a pupa. In other Orders of 

 vol. vr X 



