70 MANUAL OF THE APIARY. 



in the pupa-stage is very various, lasting from a few days to 

 as many months. Sometimes insects which are two-brooded 

 remain as pupa but a few days in summer, while in winter 

 they are months passing the quiescent period. Our cabbage- 

 butterfly illustrates this peculiarity. Others, like the 

 Hessian-fly and codling-moth, remain through the long, cold 

 months as larvae. How wonderful is this ! The first brood 

 of larvse change to pupae at once, the last brood, though- the 

 weather be just as hot, wait over inside the cocoon till the 

 jrarm days of coming spring. 



THE IMAGO STAGE. 



This term refers to the last or winged form, and was given 

 by Linn^ because the image of the insect is now real and not 

 masked as when in the larva state. Now the insect has its 

 full-formed legs and wings, its compound eyes, complex 

 mouth-parts, and the fully developed sex-organs. In fact, 

 the whole purpose of the insect now seems to be to repro- 

 duce itself. Many insects do not even eat, only flit in merry 

 marriage mood for a brief space, when the male flees this life 

 to be quickly followed by the female, she only waiting to 

 place her eggs where the prospective infants may find suitable 

 food. Some insects not only place their eggs, but feed and 

 care for their young, as is true of ants, wasps and bees. 

 Again, as in case of some species of ants and bees, abortive 

 females perform all, or most of the labor in caring for the young. 

 The life of the imago also varies much as to duration. Some 

 live but for a day, others make merry for several days, while 

 a few species live for months. Very few imagos survive the 

 whole year. 



INCOMPLETE TRANSFORMATIONS. 



Some insects, like the bugs, lice, grasshoppers and locusts, 

 are quite alike at all stages of growth, after leaving the egg. 

 The only apparent difference is the smaller size and the 

 absence or incomplete development of the wings in the larvae 

 and pupse. The habits and structure from first to last seem 

 to be much the same. Here, as before, the full development 

 of the sex-organs occurs only in the imago. 



