Insects in the Garden 
295 
convert the ugly caterpillar into the beautiful butterfly. 
When spring or summer comes, the perfect insect is 
matured inside the cocoon, which bursts, and into the 
world emerges the perfect insect. Perfect, that is, with 
the exception of its wings, which are not fully formed. In 
warm weather, however, the wings soon grow, and a few 
hours after hatching it will be ready for flight. 
Thus we see that there are three distinct stages in the 
life of a typical insect. 
The egg gives rise to 
the larva, i.e. cater- 
pillar, maggot, or grub; 
the larva produces the 
chrysalis, pupa, or 
nymph; and this in 
turn gives place to the 
imago or perfect in- 
sect. In plant lice, 
or aphides, however, 
there is very little dif- 
ference between the larval and pupal stage. Some of 
the insects are harmful to plants, others may not only 
be harmless, but are indeed useful or even indispensable 
to the wellbeing of some of our plants. Bees, in collect- 
ing honey and pollen from the flowers, pollinate them, 
and so, when fertilization has taken place, we get our 
fruit and seeds. Then we have the Ladybirds. The 
larvae of these live on aphides, and are therefore most 
useful in a garden. The larvae of Ladybirds are small 
black or grey creatures, which may often be seen where 
there are many aphides or plant lice. The pupae are 
Ladybirds 
1, Eggs, nat. size. 2, Egg, magnified. 3, Larva, 
with line 4 showing nat. size. 5 and 6, Pupae. 7, 8, 
9, Three species of Ladybird, nat. size. 
