176 LEPIDOPTEEA (MOTHS). 



ducing Bombyces. Others are found in a cell of earth. There 

 are three noticeable types of larvae, one seen in most groups, 

 such as the Hawk-moths, Noctuse, &c., in which the larvse 

 have six true legs in front and four pairs of fleshy prolegs 

 behind, with an anal pair posteriorly. The second type is 

 seen in the Geometers or Loopers, in which only one pair 

 of prolegs exist in the middle of the body. The third is 

 seen in the Plusiadse or Y-Moths (fig. 51). The five more 

 important divisions of Heterocera are — 



The SpMngina, Bomhycina, Noctuina, Oeometrina, and Micro- 

 le^ddoptera. The last three contain the majority of the injuri- 

 ous species. 



The SpMngina are the Hawk-moths {SpMngidce) and the 

 Clearwing-moths {Sesiadce or ^geriidce). They are provided 

 with a long proboscis and usually pointed abdomen, which 

 may (in the Sesiadce) end in a fan-shaped mass of hairs. The 

 antennse taper to a point at the end. The larvae of the Hawks 

 have a curious horn on the last segment, and live upon the 

 leaves of various plants. The Eyed-hawk (SmerintJiMS ocellatus) 

 may be taken as an example. 



The larvse of the Clearwings are all creamy-white in colour, 

 and live by burrowing into the stems of shrubs and trees. 



The Currant Glearwing {^geria tipuliformis). 



This pretty little moth (fig. 78) is often very injurious in 

 black-currant plantations. The Clearwings 

 {JEgeriidm) take their name from the fact 

 that the major area of their wings is trans- 

 parent. This species is a little more than 

 two-thirds of an inch in expanse of wing ; 

 Pig. 78.— Cubbaht the body and thorax are purplish black 

 tipuUfarnm.) with yeUow bands. These clearwings have 



a black fringe to the wings, a black bar 

 across the fore-wings, and the ends with black veins and with 



