LEWDOPTEHA. 173 



LEPIDOPTEEA, 



OR Bdttbrflies and Moths. 



The Lepidoptera or scaly-winged insects are the Butterflies 

 and Moths. The former are known as Diumi or Rhopalocera, 

 and have always club-shaped antennse (fig. 77, 1), and the wings 

 are always held vertically over the back when in repose. They 

 are mostly day -fliers. The moths or Heterocera have either 

 thread-shaped, feathery, or pectinate antennae j the wings are 

 folded over the back in repose, and the body usually stouter 

 than in the butterflies. 



Lepidoptera are haustellate, the mouth being prolonged into 

 a long sucking proboscis or antlia. The scales are the 

 colouring part of the wing : they easily rub ofi', when the 

 membranes of the wing are seen to be quite transparent. 



All Lepidoptera have a complete metamorphosis. The ova 

 are often beautifully sculptured. The larv£8 or caterpillars have 

 six true legs and usually four pairs of prolegs, with the addition 

 of an anal pair at the hind end. The larvae are mostly vege- 

 tarians, and are provided with strong biting mandibles. They 

 moult four times. The 

 length of life is very 

 variable : some only live 

 ten days, others two or 



,„,,-, PiQ. 76. — Larva of the Large White 



three years ((Jroat Motn (PwHs hrassim). 



— Gossm). The pupse 



may be naked, or enclosed in a cocoon of silk or a cell of earth. 

 The adults are nearly always winged, except in somb female 

 moths (Winter Moths), and are usually short-lived. Some 

 imagines hibernate (Tortoise-shell Butterfly), and these have a 

 longer period of existence. Large numbers of moth larvae are 

 injurious, but only a few Rhopalocera. 



