ENEMIES OF THE LEPIDOPTERA 
41 
brown-tail moths, tent caterpillars, cut-worms, army worms, 
and canker worms. 
But not all the Lepidoptera are harmful. Many of the 
most beautiful moths and butterflies develop from larvae 
that do no particular harm. Their natural enemies, such 
as birds and Ichneumones (lk-nu'mo-nes) (see §31, page 51), 
keep their numbers reduced. Among the more strikingly 
colored butterflies are the black swallowtail, the larvae of 
which feed on celery, parsley, 
and carrots; and the monarch 
or milkweed butterfly. 
As the butterfly goes from flower to 
flower after nectar, its head brushes 
against the parts of the flower that 
grow the pollen dust. The pollen is 
thus carried from one flower to an¬ 
other, and this helps the flower to 
grow better seeds. 
27. Enemies of the Lepi¬ 
doptera. — The numerous ene¬ 
mies of the Lepidoptera prevent 
them from becoming a scourge. 
Chief among these enemies are 
the Ichneumones, members of the 
order Hymenoptera (Figure 43). 
Ichneumon (lk-nu'mon) adults 
lay their eggs on the body of many caterpillars. When 
these eggs hatch into small larvae Ichneumones, the larvae 
eat their way into the body of the large caterpillar, where 
they live feeding upon its body juices. These ichneumon 
larvae are called parasites because they derive their food 
from the caterpillar. The caterpillar which contains these 
ichneumon parasites is called a host. 
The ichneumon parasitic larvae grow rapidly and before 
the caterpillar dies they reach the stage at which they 
Figure 28. — Wingless Female 
of Tussock Mopi. 
She is laying eggs on the co¬ 
coon from which she has just 
crawled. After the eggs are 
laid, she moves around for a 
short time and dies of starvation 
if some bird does not find her in 
the meantime. 
