Insects injurious to fruits . orax, on whichare borne the other two pairs oflegs, is liberated, and finally theescape is completed by the with-drawal of the abdomen. An odd-looking creature it is at first, withits large, plump, juicy body, and itsthick, small wings not much largerthan those of a humble-bee. Theinsect now seeks a good locationwhere the wings may hang down ina position favorable for expanding,when in a short time they undergca marvellous growth, attaining theiifull size in from half an hour to anhour. , Soon after their exit these mothsseek their mates, and shortly thefemale beg
Insects injurious to fruits . orax, on whichare borne the other two pairs oflegs, is liberated, and finally theescape is completed by the with-drawal of the abdomen. An odd-looking creature it is at first, withits large, plump, juicy body, and itsthick, small wings not much largerthan those of a humble-bee. Theinsect now seeks a good locationwhere the wings may hang down ina position favorable for expanding,when in a short time they undergca marvellous growth, attaining theiifull size in from half an hour to anhour. , Soon after their exit these mothsseek their mates, and shortly thefemale begins to deposit her eggs, aprocess which occupies considerabletime, since there are two or threehundred to dispose of, and they areusually laid in pairs, firmly fastened with a glutinous material,on the under side of a leaf of the tree or shrub which is toform the future food of the caterpillar. The egg is nearlyone-tenth of an inch long, almost round, of a dull creamywhite color, with a reddish spot or streak near the ATTACKING THE LEAVES. 77 The duration of the egg-state is usually from a week to tendays, when the young larva eats its way out, making its firstmeal of the empty egg-shell. At first it is black, with littleshining black knobs on its body, from which arise hairs ofthe same color. With a ravenous appetite, its growth is veryrapid, and from time to time its exterior coat or skin becomestoo tight for its comfort, when it is ruptured and thrown each of these changes or moultings the caterpillar appearsin an altered garb, until finally it assumes the appearancerepresented in Fig. 72. It is a gigantic creature, from three Fig, 72.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidin, booksubjectinsectpests
