107 



turnal in its habits, and has been very seldom obser\-ed 

 to use its wings m flight. During the clay Earwigs hide 

 away beneath the soil, among vegetation, under stones, 

 bark, and in other dark situations. They cause some 

 amount of harm to cultivated plants, particularly dahlias, 

 but their diet may include animal matter also. Earwigs 

 can be most readily got rid of by means of traps. Plant 

 pots filled w^ith straw or dead moss placed m an inverted 

 position upon the ground, or upon stakes, are usually 

 effective. The pots should be examined frequently, and 

 the Insects shaken out into boiling water, or the straw and 

 other rubbish containing them burnt. 



The next order of Insects which concern us is the 

 Lepicioptera. Their larv^ are known as caterpillars, while 

 the perfect Insects are recognised as Butterflies and Moths. 

 Butterflies can be readily distinguished from Moths by 

 their feelers or antennae terrnhnating in a club or knob, 

 while those of Moths taper off to a point. Furthermore, 

 Butterfl^ies are diurnal while most Moths are nocturnal. 

 Lefidoftera are only injurious in the caterpillar stage; 

 the adults feed entirely upon the nectar and juices 

 of flowers which they imbibe by means of a flexible 

 sucking tube, and never pierce or injure the tissues of 

 plants. Four wings are present and they are closely 

 covered with microscopic scales w^hich easily rub ofr, 

 revealing the transparent wing membrane beneath. The 

 eggs of Butterflies and ]\Ioths are almost always laid on 

 or near the leaves of the, plants which are to serve 

 as food for the future caterpillars. Very few Butterfly 

 larv^ are injurious, and only two species need con- 

 cern us, viz., the Large and Small Cabbage Whites 

 {Pieris brassicae and P. rafae) (lo). The larvae ol 

 the former species are partial to the outer leaves of 

 cabbages, while those of the smaller species also attack 

 turnips. Both kinds frequently devour the leaves of 

 " nasturtiums " and other plants. When very abundant 

 hand picking of the larv^ is the best method. The pupa? 

 occur on palings, walls, and similar objects in the imme- 

 diate vicinity, but a quick eye is needed to distinguish 

 them, and for this reason their destruction is not likel^^ to 

 very materiall}/ reduce their numbers. The eggs of the 

 Large Cabbage Butterfly are pale yellow and laid m 

 clusters on the under sides of the leaves of the food plants. 

 Every cluster destroyed means the reduction of a whole 



