18 
THE ART OF REARING 
out mentioning the numbers that are destroyed by 
lizards, frogs, toads, wasps, flies, spiders, ants, 
beetles and other insects, either devouring the 
caterpillar whole, tearing them to pieces, gnaw- 
ing them, or sucking their blood. In vain does 
the caterpillar endeavour to avoid its innumer- 
able foes, suspending itself by its silken thread, 
and swinging in mid air, it scarcely ever escapes 
destruction. 
To this species of destruction may be added 
that which assails some species of caterpillars 
by means of other insects that deposit their eggs : 
thus they become the prey of those insects the mo- 
ment the eggs are hatched. 
3d. The winter frosts and the cold spring 
rains kill a great number of caterpillars. We 
frequently observe, in spring, during the course 
of a few hours, these insects dropping off, struck 
by the shower, which chills them before they can 
find shelter, or at the period when they are cast- 
ing their skins. 
A vast number may also be destroyed in an ar- 
tificial manner, by taking the nests ; those species 
most noxious are not in very great numbers, and 
are constantly within reach. 
It is easy in winter to distinguish caterpillars’ 
nests ; they are often found suspended towards 
the ends of boughs and branches of trees, rolled 
up in leaves. By the aid of large scissors (Fig. 1 .) 
