MOTH, any insect of the order Lepidoptera not included among the butterflies (q.v.). Moths have antenna of many forms, and on account of this variability are often grouped in a section Heterocera, but their antenna are rarely swollen at the end, or uclubbed," and never in the North American forms. They are farther dis tinguished from butterflies by their wings be ing horizontal when at rest, and by their being seldom seen on the wing except in the even ing or at night, although certain species of moth fly in the brightest sunshine, and some butterflies appear at twilight. In most cases there is a peculiar arrangement of interlocking spines (frenulum and retinaculum) by which the hind wings are kept in contact with the front wings during flight. The pupa are never angular; are mostly smooth and dark-colored; and are often enclosed in a cocoon, which the larva spins before it passes into the pupal stage. Moths are in general larger than butterflies and more hairy or downy in character. A Brazilian giant measures nearly a foot from tip to tip, and there is a gilded species smaller than a pin's head. Similarly they present as great a variety of outlines and as much beauty (with less gaudiness) as do the butterflies; and they interest the philosophical naturalist by the ex traordinary adaptations to conditions which many of them present, and which have come about in the development of the race. Some of the most extraordinary examples of sexual of protective coloration (q.v.) and resemblance, of mimicry (q.v.) and of curious armaments, are to be found among these creatures, whose small size, weakness and edibility, especially when in the larval condition, render essential means of concealment and of passive defense. Nevertheless caterpillars of moths, as well as of butterflies, furnish a large part of the food of birds and of various other insect-eating ani mals; and in the adult state they are seized by night-flying birds, by lizards, monkeys, turtles, and by some predatory insects and spiders. The
eggs of moths arc /aid upon the proper food plant of the species, and are various in form, ranging from that of a sphere or a cylinder to that of a disc, often with the surface beautifully sculptured or ornamented. Each has a micro pyIe or lidded opening from which the larva escapes. They are laid by most species of tem perate regions in the early summer, and the life-cycle of the insect is completed before the end of the season; hut some moths oviposit in the autumn, when their eggs remain quiescent through the winter, or, in some cases, hatch in time for the larva to partly grow, then hiber nate and complete their development the follow ing spring.
The larva or caterpillars of moths, like those of butterflies, hatch as very minute objects, but rapidly grow, shedding their skins (see MOLT ING) at intervals to permit of enlargement, until some attain a length of six or seven inches. Most moth-larva molt five times, but some oftener and a few less times.
The larval condition is the insect's period of feeding and growth, some species taking no food whatever in adult life. The vast majority feed upon green vegetable food, leaves most of all; and are among the worst foes of our parks, orchards and gardens, attacking culti vated plants in a great variety of ways. uft. few larva," remarks Holland, °feed upon woody tissues, and bore long galleries under the bark or in the wood of trees. ° (See MOTH,