LEPIDOPTERA 33 
Syrphidee, the svrphus flies. The larvee of some species are pre- 
daceous on noxious insects. 
(stride, the botflies. The larvex are notorious parasites in mam- 
mals. 
Muscid:e, a very large family including the common house fly. 
Tachinidy, the tachina fles. The larvee often beneficial because 
attacking noxious insects. 
Anthomyiids, including the root maggots. 
A special interest attaches to this order beeause several of its mem- 
bers have been directly connected with the transmission of serious 
human diseases, as discussed in a later chapter. 
Lepidoptera 
The inseets included within this order are the moths, the skippers, 
and the butterflies. The main characteristic of the order is the fact 
that the wings and body are covered with minute scales, which are 
arranged in definite patterns and 
often give to the wings beautiful 
and elaborate colors. 
In all Lepidoptera there is com- 
plete metamorphosis. The larva 
is commonly known as a eater- 
pillar, or simply as a“ worm,” 
the latter term more frequently 
attached to larve that are not 
eovered with hairs. Thus, on the 
one hand, we speak of the cabbage 
worm and the eanker worm, on 
the other the tent eaterpillar and | Fis. 32.—Seales from the wing of a 
the vellow-necked eaterpillar. The nin Doge tae Es 
larve have three pairs of legs ie 
near the front end of the body, a single pair of legs or claspers at 
the hind end, and usually two to four pairs of fleshy prolegs between. 
All adults in the order Lepidoptera have four wings, exeept in cer- 
tain species where the wings are entirely lacking. The mouth parts 
D 
