. As nature shows them : moths and butterflies of the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains : with over 400 photographic illustrations in the text and many transfers of species from life. Lepidoptera; Nature prints. 8 MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. finds that tliej need l) of fresh food daily when nearly full grown. Of course, in a state of nature tlie large larvae are usually Avidely scattered, so that their ravages are not so noticeable ; but when feeding a large number hatched from eggs one is liable to find he has an elephant on his hands. A little protul)erance under the mouth of the
. As nature shows them : moths and butterflies of the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains : with over 400 photographic illustrations in the text and many transfers of species from life. Lepidoptera; Nature prints. 8 MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES. finds that tliej need l) of fresh food daily when nearly full grown. Of course, in a state of nature tlie large larvae are usually Avidely scattered, so that their ravages are not so noticeable ; but when feeding a large number hatched from eggs one is liable to find he has an elephant on his hands. A little protul)erance under the mouth of the larva is the silk- spinning oig-an. This is the external opening to the silk secreting glands, wliicli consist of two tubes or sacks, one on either side of the body, containing the viscid fluid which, by exposure to the air, dries and hardens into silk. This silk is used in a variety of ways by the different species of caterpillars. Some colonies build nests for their nuitual protection ; others attach a thin thread to the leaves and branches of the plants as they craAvl over them, so that they are with difficulty shaken off, for they merely let themselves down on their threads a short distance and then crawl up again when the danger is past. Many species spin cocoons as silky coveriiigs for themselves when they are about to pupate ; and a good many of the butterfl}" larvfe not only attach tlie posterior extremity of the abdomen to a silken carpet but anchor themselves with a strong cable spun about the bod}'- and attaclied to tlie suljstance from which they are sus- pended. If we examine a caterpillar, we shall notice that the first three pairs of legs, attached to the second, third and fourth segments. Caterpillar of Butterfly. (calling the head the first), are different from the fleshy legs or claspei's. These iirst six legs are hard and horny and provided with claws or hooks at the ends. They are the true legs and correspond to the legs of the perfect fly. The usual n
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbayerfrederickmformer, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900
