146 
LETTERS FROM ALABAMA. 
with, orange or scarlet, — all hymenopterous colours. 
The prevalence of purple reflections from the 
wings, and the angle with the body at v^hich they 
are often carried, are hymenopterous ; as are also 
their manners. Their flight is usually rapid, and 
in straight lines ; they alight suddenly, and as 
suddenly depart ; move by fits and starts, and in 
short are so much like the waspish tribes, that, 
notwithstanding the acquaintance with insects 
which some years’ observation of their habits has 
given me, I have often been deceived. It was not 
until 1 looked at the Exitiosa very closely, that 
I discovered it to be a moth. 
Most insects of this genus pass their larva state 
in the trunks of trees, ^either between the bark and 
the wood, or in the heart of the wood itself. This 
species inhabits the peach-tree, to which it is very 
injurious, often causing premature decay and death. 
The larva is white, as are most larvae whieh are 
habitually excluded from the light, whether residing 
in holes in wood, in cells of combs, or beneath the 
surface of the earth. The pupa near the time of its 
exit works its way to the circumference of the tre^, 
like i\i(tfiossus I mentioned before, where it opens, 
the perfect insect entering upon a new existence, and 
leaving the exuvise of the pupa, its grave-clothes, 
lying at the mouth of its late sepulchre. It has 
now become a pretty fly, with wings perfectly 
destitute of plumage, but glossed with a reflection 
of bright steel blue, the body bright blue, with one 
band of scarlet. 
A large dipterous fly [Mydas clavatus ) , common 
now, is marked in a similar manner with a band 
of scarlet across the abdomen, a rather unusual 
iliing among the two-winged flies. It is much 
