The Butterfly Book Part 43

(Editha).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This is a much smaller species than the last, which it somewhat resembles on the upper side. On the under side it is wholly unlike _xanthoides_, the wings being pale pearly-gray, pale ochreous on the outer margins, the spots of the fore wings black and of the hind wings ochreous, narrowly margined with white or fine black lines.

Expanse, 1.10-1.25 inch.

_Early Stages._--Entirely unknown.

This species is found in Nevada.

(5) =Chrysopha.n.u.s gorgon=, Boisduval, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 35, ?; Fig. 36, ? (Gorgon).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Somewhat like the preceding species, but with the fore wings of the male redder on the upper side, and of the female more broadly mottled with pale red, the spots in some specimens inclining to buff. The under side of the wings is white, marked with the usual series of black spots. The secondaries have a marginal series of elongated pale-red spots, tipped at either end with black. Expanse, 1.25-1.30 inch.

_Early Stages._--We as yet know nothing of these.

_Gorgon_ is found in California and Nevada.

(6) =Chrysopha.n.u.s thoe=, Boisduval, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 31, ?; Fig. 32, ?; Plate V, Fig. 50, _chrysalis_ (The Bronze Copper).

_b.u.t.terfly._--The plate makes a description of the upper side of the wings unnecessary. On the under side the fore wing in both s.e.xes is bright tawny-red, pale gray at the apex; the hind wings are bluish-gray, with a broad band of carmine on the outer margin. Both wings are profusely adorned with small black spots. Expanse, 1.30-1.40 inch.

_Early Stages._--These are only partially known. The caterpillar feeds on _Rumex_.

It is not uncommon in northern Indiana, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, and ranges from Maine to Kansas and Colorado.

(7) =Chrysopha.n.u.s mariposa=, Reakirt, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 37, ?; Fig. 38, ? (Reakirt's Copper).

_b.u.t.terfly._--Small, with a broad dusky band on the hind wing of the male and on the fore wing of the female. The male is purplish-red above, the female bright red, with the usual spots. On the under side the ground-color of the fore wings is pale red, of the hind wings clear ashen-gray, with the characteristic markings of the genus. Expanse, 1.10 inch.

_Early Stages._--Undescribed.

The insect ranges from British Columbia into northern California, Montana, and Colorado.

(8) =Chrysopha.n.u.s h.e.l.loides=, Boisduval, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 33, ?; Fig.

34, ? (The Purplish Copper).

_b.u.t.terfly._--The male has the fore wings broadly shot with iridescent purple. The female is well delineated in the plate. On the under side the fore wings are pale red, the hind wings reddish-gray, with a marginal row of brick-red crescents. The usual black spots are found on both wings. Expanse, 1.15-1.30 inch.

_Early Stages._--We know next to nothing of these.

The Purplish Copper is found in the Northwestern States from northern Illinois and Iowa to Vancouver's Island.

(9) =Chrysopha.n.u.s epixanthe=, Boisduval and Leconte, Plate XXVIII, Fig.

28, ? (The Least Copper).

_b.u.t.terfly._--The smallest species of the genus in North America. On the upper side the wings of the male are dark fuscous, shot with purple, and having a few red spots near the a.n.a.l angle of the secondaries. The female on the upper side is pale gray, and more profusely marked with black spots. On the under side the wings are light gray, bluish at the base, and marked with the usual spots. Expanse, .85-.95 inch.

_Early Stages._--Little is known of these.

This is a Northern species, ranging from Newfoundland, where it is common, to British Columbia, never south of the lat.i.tude of New England.

(10) =Chrysopha.n.u.s hypophlaeas=, Boisduval, Plate XXVIII, Fig. 25, ?; Plate V, Fig. 49, _chrysalis_ (The American Copper).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This is one of the commonest b.u.t.terflies in the United States. The figure in the plate will serve to recall it to the mind of every reader. It is abundant everywhere except in the Gulf States, and ranges as far north as Manitoba and the Hudson Bay region. Expanse, 1.00 inch.

_Early Stages._--These have often been described. The caterpillar, which is small and slug-shaped, feeds upon the common sorrel (_Rumex acetosella_).

(11) =Chrysopha.n.u.s snowi=, Edwards, Plate XXIX, Fig. 7, ?; Fig. 8, ?

(Snow's Copper).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This is a medium-sized species, easily recognized by the even, rather wide black border on both wings on the upper side, and the dirty-gray color of the hind wings on the under side. Expanse, 1.15-1.25 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

Snow's Copper, which is named in honor of the amiable Chancellor of the University of Kansas, occurs in Colorado at high elevations, and is reported from Alberta and British Columbia.

(12) =Chrysopha.n.u.s rubidus=, Behr, Plate XXIX, Fig. 5, ?; Fig. 6, ?

(The Ruddy Copper).

_b.u.t.terfly._--This is a rather large species. The male on the upper side is prevalently pale, l.u.s.trous red, with a narrow black marginal band and uniformly conspicuous white fringes. The upper side of the female is accurately depicted in the plate. On the under side the wings are s.h.i.+ning white, the secondaries immaculate. Expanse, 1.30-1.50 inch.

_Early Stages._--These are altogether unknown.

This exceedingly beautiful species is found in Oregon, Nevada, and Montana.

(13) =Chrysopha.n.u.s sirius=, Edwards, Plate XXIX, Fig. 3, ?; Fig. 4, ?

(Sirius).

_b.u.t.terfly._--The male closely resembles the preceding species on the upper side, but is brighter red, especially along the nervules of the fore wings. The female on the upper side is dusky. On the under side the wings are whitish or pale gray, but the hind wings are not without spots, as in the preceding species, and carry the characteristic markings of the genus. Expanse, 1.20-1.30 inch.

_Early Stages._--Unknown.

The species has been found from Fort McCleod, in British America, as far south as Arizona, among the North American Cordilleras.

THE UTILITY OF ENTOMOLOGY

All the forces of nature are interdependent. Many plants would not bear seeds or fruit were it not for the activity of insects, which cause the pollen to be deposited upon the pistil and the seed-vessel to be fertilized. Attempts were made many years ago to grow clover in Australia, but the clover did not make seed. All the seed required for planting had to be imported at much expense from Europe. It was finally ascertained that the reason why the clover failed to make seed was because throughout Australia there were no b.u.mblebees. b.u.mblebees were introduced, and now clover grows luxuriantly in Australia, making seed abundantly; and Australian meats, carried in the cold-storage rooms of great ocean steamers, are used to feed the people of Manila, Hong-Kong, Yokohama, and even London.

A few years ago the orange-groves in southern California became infested with a scale-insect, which threatened to ruin them and to bring orange-growing in that part of the land to an unprofitable end. The matter received the careful attention of the chief entomologist of the United States Department of Agriculture, the lamented Professor C.V.

Riley. In the course of the studies which he and his a.s.sociates prosecuted, it was ascertained that the same scale-insect which was ruining the orange-groves of California is found in the orange-groves of Queensland, but that in Queensland this insect did comparatively small injury to the trees. Investigation disclosed the fact that in Queensland the scale-insect was kept down by the ravages of a parasitic insect which preyed upon it. This parasite, by order of the chief entomologist, was immediately imported, in considerable numbers, into southern California, and let loose among the orange-groves. The result has been most beneficial.

These are two ill.u.s.trations, from among hundreds which might be cited, of the very practical value of entomological knowledge.

+--------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | EXPLANATION OF PLATE x.x.xI | | | | 1. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | var. _lucia_, Kirby, ?. | | 2. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | var. _marginata_, Edwards, ?. | | 3. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | var. _marginata_, Edwards, ?. | | 4. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | var. _nigra_, Edwards, ?. | | 5. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | var. _violacea_, Edwards, ?. | | 6. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | ?. | | 7. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | ?. | | 8. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | var. _neglecta_, Edwards, ?. | | 9. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | var. _neglecta_, Edwards, ?. | | 10. _Lycaena pseudargiolus_, Boisd.-Lec., | | var. _piasus_, Boisduval, ?. | | 11. _Lycaena daedalus_, Behr, ?. | | 12. _Lycaena daedalus_, Behr, ?. | | 13. _Lycaena heteronea_, Boisduval, ?. | | 14. _Lycaena heteronea_, Boisduval, ?. | | 15. _Lycaena saepiolus_, Boisduval, ?. | | 16. _Lycaena saepiolus_, Boisduval, ?. | | 17. _Lycaena lygdamas_, Doubleday, ?. | | 18. _Lycaena lygdamas_, Doubleday, ?. | | 19. _Lycaena sagittigera_, Felder, ?. | | 20. _Lycaena sagittigera_, Felder, ?. | | 21. _Lycaena sonorensis_, Felder, ?. | | 22. _Lycaena sonorensis_, Felder, ?. | | 23. _Lycaena shasta_, Edwards, ?. | | 24. _Lycaena shasta_, Edwards, ?. | | 25. _Lycaena melissa_, Edwards, ?. | | 26. _Lycaena melissa_, Edwards, ?. | | 27. _Lycaena acmon_, Dbl.-Hew., ?. | | 28. _Lycaena acmon_, Dbl.-Hew., ?. | | 29. _Lycaena comyntas_, G.o.dart, ?. | | 30. _Lycaena comyntas_, G.o.dart, ?. | | 31. _Lycaena ammon_, Lucas, ?. | | 32. _Lycaena marina_, Reakirt, ?. | | | | [Ill.u.s.tration PLATE x.x.xI.] | +--------------------------------------------------------------+

The annual loss suffered by agricultural communities through ignorance of entomological facts is very great. Every plant has its insect enemy, or, more correctly, its insect lover, which feeds upon it, delights in its luxuriance, but makes short work, it may be of leaves, it may be of flowers, it may be of fruit. It has been estimated that every known species of plant has five or six species of insects which habitually feed upon it. Where the plant is one that is valuable to man and is grown for his use, the horticulturist or the farmer finds himself confronted, presently, by the ravages of these creatures, and unless he has correct information as to the best manner in which to combat them, he is likely to suffer losses of a serious character. We all have read of the havoc wrought by the Kansas locust, or gra.s.shopper, and of the ruin brought about by insects of the same cla.s.s in Asia and in Africa.

We all have heard of the Hessian fly, of the weevil, and of the army-worm. The legislature of Ma.s.sachusetts has in recent years been spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in the attempt to exterminate the gipsy-moth. The caterpillar of the cabbage-b.u.t.terfly ruins every year material enough to supply sauer-kraut to half of the people. The codling-moth, the little pinkish caterpillar of which worms its way through apples, is estimated to destroy five millions of dollars' worth of apples every year within the limits of the United States. And what shall we say of the potato-bug, that prettily striped beetle, which, starting from the far West, has taken possession of the potato-fields of the continent, and for the extermination of which there is annually spent, by the agricultural communities of the United States, several millions of dollars in labor and in poisons?

A few facts like these serve to show that the study of entomology is not a study which deserves to be placed in the category of useless pursuits.