202 INJURIOUS AND USEFUL INSECTS 



The magpie- moth (Abraxas grossulariata) is a common 

 species, which does much mischief to the foliage of currants 

 and gooseberries. Some common Geometrids, which are 

 injurious to fruit-trees and other vegetation, like the March 

 moth, the winter-moth and the umber-moth, have wingless 

 females, a feature generally associated with indiscriminate 

 feeding, or subsistence upon social plants (see p. 79). 



Division V. — Pyralides 



These small moths have usually simple, tapering antennae 

 and long legs. The larvae are generally smooth and of active 

 habits ; some of them live submerged and feed on water-plants. 

 The little grass-moths are very common on lawns. The 

 plume-moths (which are often treated as a primary division of 

 Lepidoptera) have the wings subdivided into from two to four 

 feathers, while in Alucita each wing is divided into six feathers. 



Division VI. — Tortrices 



Small moths with simple bristle-like antennae. The larvae 

 often roll leaves, but others make galls, or live in buds or 

 fruits. The Tortrix of the oak sometimes strips the trees of 

 their foliage. The larva of the codlin-moth gnaws a hole into 

 the heart of an apple, which falls before it is ripe. The pea- 

 moth eats young peas in the pod. Other Tortrices gnaw the 

 buds of pine-trees, and one is destructive to the hop, drawing 

 the leaves together by its silken threads and devouring them. 



Division VII. — Xylotroplia (wood-borers) 



Antennae tapering, sometimes pectinate (comb-like). Wings 

 rather narrow. The larvae, which usually burrow in the wood 

 of trees, are smooth and without dorsal horn. 



Family Sesiidae (clear-wings). The wings are more or less 

 transparent, owing to the shedding of the scales, except 

 along the veins. These moths often resemble wasps or other 

 Hymenoptera in coloration, and like them, fly by day. 



Family Hepialidae (swifts). The larvae of this family feed 

 on roots below ground. 



Family Cossidae (goat-motlis). Stout, hairy moths, with 

 densely scaly wings. Antennae pectinate in the male. No 

 functional proboscis. 



