Order LEPIDOPTERA. 



{Butterflies and Moths). 



Char. Wings four, membranous, covered with im- 

 bricated scales. 



Mouth-parts formed for sucking. 

 Metamorphosis complete. 



The wings are large and extended, often connected together by a hook 

 and bristle (frenulum). In some species, the females are wingless ; in 

 others they have only rudimentary wings. 



The mouth-parts are as follows :-Labrum and mandibles rudimentary ; 

 maxillae developed into a long sucking tube, which, when not in use, is 

 coiled up between the well developed labial palpi ; labium rudimentary. 

 Some of the Lepidoptera do not eat anything while in the adult state; in 

 these the maxillae are also rudimentary. 



The larvse (caterpillars) vary greatly in form and appearance; but in 

 general they are cylindrical, furnished with from eight to sixteen legs,— six 

 true thoracic legs, and from two to ten fleshy, abdominal prolegs. The 

 true legs have a hard external skeleton; they are jointed, tapering, and 

 armed, at the end, with a little claw. The prolegs are thick, fleshy, with- 

 out joints, elastic or contractile, and are generally surrounded at the ex- 

 tremity by numerous, minute hooks. (2. 258). Some caterpillars have 

 enormously developed silk organs, consisting of long, simple tubes, which 

 various purposes;— in locomotion; in the construction of webs, tents, and 

 open by a spinneret at the under lip. The silk is used by the larv.-e for 

 cases ; in the rolling and fastening together of leaves ; in suspending the 

 body, preparatory to undergoing the metamorphosis, or in the construction 

 of a cocoon, enveloping the body, for the same purpose. Most caterpil- 

 lars, larva; of butterflies excepted, spin cocoons. In some instances 

 (silkworms) a great amount of silk is used in the construction of the 

 cocoon ; in others only enough to fasten together the hairs of the cater- 

 pillar of which the cocoon is principally composed. 



