Chapter II · STUDIES OF INSECTS
Reading edition
The effect of great numbers upon the structure and habits of animals. The use of keys in finding the names of animals.
1. FIELD STUDIES
Materials.
1. Boxes for carrying insects. 2. A net. This may be homemade, using mosquito netting or fish net and a stout wire. If it is to be used for a dragnet for water insects, the wire must be stout and the netting strong. Make the net twice as long as wide. 3. A cyanide jar for killing insects. 4. A few paper triangles for carrying butterflies. 5. A notebook.
Note.—Your instructor will give directions for obtaining the material called for in 3, 4, and 5.
Directions.
Look carefully and quietly in the various situations noted below. Do not be in a hurry. Weedy meadows or vacant lots and neglected roadsides are good places for your first trips. Note concerning each insect found: (a) its name or something by which to identify it, (b) where you found it, (c) what it was doing, (d) its probable food. Record these observations in your notebook. Make a special study of such insects as your instructor may designate.
Where to look for Various Insects
Grasshoppers, locusts, katydids.
Look along roadsides, waste places, gardens, especially weedy ones, weedy lots, and grassy meadows and pastures.
Crickets.
Under old boards, along the edges of board or stone walks, along fences.
Beetles.
Same locations as for crickets, and also on flowering plants, under loose bark of trees and stumps, in rotten logs, etc. For water beetles drag edges of ponds and streams.
Dragon flies.
Along water-courses, ponds, and swamps. Drag ponds and ditches for larvæ.
Bees.
On flowering plants, especially on large patches of wild asters, golden-rods, and thistles.
Wasps.
Sandy stretches,—especially along the water,—among flowering plants, under the eaves and roofs of outbuildings. Nests may be found in these latter places.
Butterflies and moths.
In fields where there are many flowering plants; look carefully on the leaves of plants for caterpillars, and for eggs. Also look very carefully on the under side of leaves, on twigs, and on the bark of trees for chrysalids of butterflies and cocoons of moths.
Bugs.
In same locations as for bees and grasshoppers and water beetles. Also on fruit.
Aphids.
On the fresh growing tops of plants.
Tree hoppers.
On trees and shrubs. Hold your net on the under side of branches and shake the branch vigorously.
Flies.
Around decaying substances, as garbage, fruit, etc.; on flowering plants.
Ants.
Sandy waste places, decayed logs, along walks, often in kitchens.
Note.—At night many kinds of insects fly around electric lights or into open windows, attracted by the light and may easily be collected.
Form for Field Trip Report
The notes taken on a field trip may be conveniently tabulated for permanent record in the form indicated below:—
Field Trip Report
Date________ Time________ Locality________ Pupil's Name________
Name of InsectWhere FoundWhat it was DoingProbable Food
In case the name of the insect is not known to you, use a number and some designation as to color or other mark by which it may be known until you have leisure to look up its name by means of keys or books on insects.
Special Field Studies
The questions below may be used for a more careful field study of any insect.
Just where was the insect found?
Note carefully what the insects are doing before they are disturbed by your presence. What did the insects do when you disturbed them? If you think this related to securing safety, explain what leads you to think so.
What senses do you conclude are well developed? Reason for your conclusion.
Has the insect a home? If so, what is its character?
What is the color? What is the relation between the color of the insect and its surroundings?
Is the insect solitary in its habits or associated with others of the same species? If in association with others, note the numbers, and what they are doing.
What modes of locomotion do you observe in this insect? Which is the most common? If it flies or jumps, note the distance.
If you find the young, note whether they differ from the adult in general appearance, and if so, in what ways they differ. Do they differ in food?
What other insects do you find in the same habitat?
2. A STUDY OF GRASSHOPPERS (LOCUSTS)
Insects adapted to Life in Grassy Meadows and Fields
Materials.
Both living and dead specimens of grasshoppers. Various stages of young grasshoppers either dead or living. Some mounted specimens with wings spread. The wings of grasshoppers mounted in pairs between two glass slides for use with microscope or hand lens. Mounted preparations of mouth parts and tracheæ.
Definitions.
Orthoptera,
straight-winged insects, order to which belong grasshoppers, locusts, katydids, crickets, cockroaches, etc.
Vivarium,
a cage in which living animals are kept.
Anterior,
toward the head of an animal.
Posterior,
opposite to anterior.
Dorsal,
the upper surface of an animal.
Ventral,
opposite to dorsal.
Regions,
principal divisions of the body of an animal.
Head, thorax, and abdomen,
the three distinct regions into which the body of a grasshopper is divided.
Somite,
a ring-like division of the body of an animal.
Prothorax, mesothorax, and metathorax,
the three divisions or somites into which the thorax of any insect is divided. A pair of legs is borne on each division.
Exoskeleton,
an external skeleton.
Femur, tibia, and tarsus,
the three principal divisions of the leg corresponding to thigh, shank, and foot.
Veins,
thread-like thickenings of the wings.
Ocelli,
the single or simple eyes of an insect, composed of a single eye element.
Compound eyes,
made up of many eye elements.
Auditory sacs,
organs for hearing in many animals.
Antennæ,
the feelers borne on the head.
Labrum,
the upper lip.
Labium,
the lower lip, formed by the growing together of the second maxillæ.
Mandibles,
primary jaws situated under the labrum.
Maxillæ,
secondary jaws just in front of the labium, each composed of three parts, a palp, a spoon, and a tooth.
Palps,
the jointed finger-like structures used to handle food, one pair on the labium and one pair on the maxillæ.
Spiracles,
openings into the trachea found along the sides of the abdomen and thorax.
Tracheæ,
slender tubes used for breathing organs among insects. They carry the air direct to the tissues in all parts of the body.
Ovipositors,
structures on the posterior end of the abdomen of a female, used to deposit eggs.
Metamorphosis,
refers to the development of the young of animals when striking changes in structure occur in the course of their growth. Metamorphosis is called complete when the young have no resemblance to the adults, and incomplete when there is a resemblance to the adult. In complete metamorphosis the stages are larva, pupa, and adult. In incomplete metamorphosis the stages are nymph and adult.
Observations.
The Body.
Show how the shape of the grasshopper's body is well adapted to its needs. Which region of the body is the thickest? What seems to be the reason for this? Which regions are capable of movement?
Locomotion.
What are the various kinds of locomotion a grasshopper can use? Which are used in the vivarium and which when free in the laboratory? Which legs are used in jumping? How are these legs especially adapted to this, in length, structure and direction? Could a grasshopper jump if the third pair of legs were arranged like the other two pairs? Why? How is the animal able to cling to grass stems and not slip down? What is the direction of the body in relation to the stem or grass blade? What is the position of the wings when at rest? when in use? How do the hind wings fold? How are the principal veins of the wings arranged to permit or facilitate this folding? Contrast the fore and hind wings with respect to thickness, size, and use. To which somites of the thorax are the wings attached? Nearer which surface, the dorsal or ventral? Why?
Sense Organs.
Discover all you can about the uses of the antennæ by carefully observing grasshoppers at rest, feeding, jumping and crawling, approaching an object or another grasshopper, etc. How many compound eyes has the grasshopper? How many simple eyes? Where are they located? Examine a preparation of the compound eye with the low power or as demonstrated with the stereopticon. What is the shape of an eye element of the compound eye? About how many eye elements are there in a compound eye?
Feeding.
Do grasshoppers eat and drink while in captivity? Put a fresh bunch of grass which has been sprinkled with water in a vivarium with grasshoppers that have had no food or drink for twenty-four hours and watch results. What is the position of the grasshoppers in feeding? In what direction do the jaws move in feeding? Compare this with the direction of movement of your own jaws. What is the use of the palps? What do you think is the use of the "molasses" or saliva that flows from the mouth?
Respiration.
Describe the breathing movements of a grasshopper and explain the relation of the movements to inhalation and exhalation of air. Find the exact location and number of spiracles on the abdomen. There are two pairs of spiracles on the thorax. Find them. How do the spiracles prevent the entrance of dust? Describe a trachea as seen in a mounted preparation with the aid of a microscope or stereopticon.
Protection.
Explain how the colors of the grasshopper may be protective or useful when at rest in its natural habitat and when in flight. Does the shell cover the entire body? What are the advantages of such a covering? A shell is likely to hinder activity, sensitiveness, and growth. How are such disadvantages overcome in this case? What senses are probably most relied upon to detect approaching danger? Give evidence to support your answer. What is the position of the hind legs when at rest? What relation has this to safety?
Reproduction and Development.
Describe the ovipositors and the probable method of their use. Describe the egg packets of grasshoppers, if discovered. About how many eggs in one? (They are sometimes seen against the glass sides of the vivaria.) If you have young grasshoppers of various ages, arrange a set of them in what seems to you to be the order of their development. How do young grasshoppers differ from adults? What changes take place as they develop? What kind of metamorphosis is this?
Summary of Important Points in the Study of the Grasshopper
How many and what distinct regions of the body are there?
How many antennæ? Compare their length with that of the body. What other sense organs did you discover?
How many legs? For what specially adapted? How?
How many wings? What is their resting position? How do the fore wings differ from the hind wings? How do the hind wings fold?
To what kind of feeding are they adapted, biting or sucking the food? How many and what sets of mouth parts are there?
How is air necessary for respiration obtained?
In what various ways are grasshoppers fitted for life in meadows and weed plots?
How do they meet winter conditions?
What kind of metamorphosis has the grasshopper?
Drawings suggested.
Side view with the legs and wings removed. Label all parts shown in this drawing. (See Definitions on pages 23 and 24 for names of parts.)
Face view of the head, showing the simple and compound eyes, the antennæ, labrum, and palps.
One of the third pair of legs. Label parts.
A fore and a hind wing arranged in natural position.
A young grasshopper.
3. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ORTHOPTERA
Materials.
Mounted specimens of various common species of orthoptera.
Observations.
Where does the insect live? What is its color?
What is the size and shape as compared with the grasshopper?
What is the length of the antennæ as compared with the length of the body?
To what kind of locomotion are the legs adapted? How? Are the forelegs specially adapted for grasping?
What is the position of the wings when at rest? Are they large or small as compared with the size of the body?
Are the ovipositors long or short? (Compare with those of the grasshopper.)
Find the group to which the insect belongs and its name by the key in the following section.
4. KEY TO SOME COMMON ORTHOPTERA
A. Groups
LegsAntennæOther CharactersGroups
Similar, fitted for running Long Body flattened, wings folded on dorsal surface of the abdomen Cockroaches (Blattidæ)
First pair of legs enlarged for grasping Rather long Prothorax long and slender, wings folded on dorsal surface of abdomen Mantis (Mantidæ)
Similar, fitted for walking Long Body usually greatly elongated and stick-like, usually no wings Walking stick (Phasmidæ)
Hind legs fitted for jumping Short Body somewhat compressed, wings folded on side of abdomen Short-horned grasshoppers (Acrididæ)
Long Body compressed, wings folded on sides, tarsus four-jointed Long-horned grasshoppers (Locustidæ)
Long Body somewhat flattened, wings folded on the back, tarsus three-jointed Crickets (Gryllidæ)
B. Species or Genera
Characters of SpeciesCommon NameGroups
Large size, brown colorAmerican cockroach Cockroaches
Small size, pale brown"Croton bug"
Dark color, often winglessOriental cockroach
Body long, anterior portion slenderMantis or rear horseMantis
Long body, long legs, no wingsWalking stickWalking sticks
Very large size, wings very smallLubber grasshopper Short-horned grasshoppers
Small to medium size, legs marked with redRed-legged grasshopper
Large size, greenish brown colorDifferential locust
Medium to large size, sand color (gray)Carolina locusts
Rather large, green, wings large and angledAngle-wing katydid Long-horned grasshoppers
Small to rather large, usually greenMeadow grasshopper
Wingless, brown colorCricket grasshopper
Usually rather large, blackField cricket Crickets
Wingless, front legs shovel-shapedMole cricket
5. THE DRAGON FLY
An Insect adapted to Aerial Life
Materials.
Mounted specimens of dragon flies, some moist preserved specimens, living specimens if practicable, simple lenses.
Observations.
Identify the three regions of the body and note the presence of a distinct neck. What is the length of the insect? What is its general form? If you have living specimens, discover what movements the head and abdomen are capable of making.
What is the position and general character of the wings? Explain how these wings are made very efficient for flying. Why should they not fold?
For what do the legs seem best adapted? Why?
Note the size of the eyes and of the antennæ? How do you account for the great size of the eyes and the relatively small antennæ?
What is the type of mouth parts, biting or sucking? If you have living dragon flies, try feeding them flies or mosquitoes and note how they are seized.
The food of dragon flies is mosquitoes and flies caught while on the wing. In what various ways is the dragon fly specialized for getting food in this manner?
Summary.
How is the dragon fly fitted for its aerial life with respect to its body, means and method of locomotion, sense organs, kind of food and manner of obtaining it?
Suggested drawing.
Dorsal view, showing veining of one wing.
6. THE HONEYBEE
A Study of Adaptations for Community Life
Materials.
Preserved specimens of workers in small vials and in watch glasses, and some mounted specimens. A demonstration case showing the three kinds of members of the community, stages in the development of the workers and queens and the cells in which they are reared, specimens of the comb. Small pieces of beeswax, a box of honey, and specimens of comb free for examination. Mounted preparations of mouth parts and stings. Simple lenses and compound microscopes.
Observations.
The Worker Bee.
Observe and describe the form, size, regions, and covering of the bee. What are its colors? Observe and describe the texture, veining, relative size, and position of the wings. Discover how the fore and hind wings are hooked together. What advantage in having them hooked together? For what kind of locomotion are the legs best adapted? Find the pollen basket on the tarsus of a hind leg. How is it fitted for carrying pollen? What are the wax shears? Examine and describe the structure at the posterior end of the body used for stinging. (Use a mounted preparation for this with low-power of microscope.) The mouth parts are fitted for both biting and sucking. Find what makes this possible. (Use mounted preparation.) Describe the antennæ and the number, position, and shape of the eyes. Are the eyes fitted for keen sight? Give reason for answer. The worker bee gathers honey and pollen and defends the entire community from enemies. What various adaptations fit it for this work?
The Community of Bees.
How do the workers, drones, and queen differ in general appearance? Describe the appearance of the comb and the arrangement and shape of the cells. Why this shape? How are the cells closed when full of honey? How do the cells used for rearing worker bees differ from those used for rearing queens? What is the appearance of the larvæ? Of the pupa? Examine and test in various ways a small piece of beeswax. What are the qualities possessed by this wax which make it suitable for making comb and protecting the home from storms?
Supplementary Studies of Bees
Materials.
For this study an observation hive of bees or opportunity to visit an apiary will be helpful. If neither are practicable, then look up the answers in books. There are government bulletins on bee-keeping and much helpful information can be obtained from large dealers in bees and bee supplies.
Observations.
How do bees protect their hives from rain and storm and light?
What are honey boxes? Where are they placed in the hive? Can the honey be removed late in the fall?
How is it safe to approach and handle bees in removing honey and caring for them?
What are their habits in entering and leaving the hive? What is the appearance of a returning loaded worker bee?
How do bees survive the winter? Why are the drones driven away or killed?
Watch bees gathering nectar and pollen from flowers and describe the process. Try following a bee on its journeys.
When the bees are in the hive, how may you know the queen and drones from the workers?
What is swarming? When does it take place? How is the swarm hived?
What is the home of wild honeybees? How found?
Summary of the Study of Honeybees
How is the work of the community of bees divided among the bees? How is each fitted for the work? What do you think of the success of this kind of life? Give reasons for your answer.
7. GENERAL STUDY OF INSECTS[1]
Materials.
Both living and preserved specimens of the insects studied should be at hand, if practicable. There also should be specimens of the young.
Observations.
The Body.
What is the shape and size of the insect and the number of regions in its body? Does the shape seem to be in any way adapted to the mode of life of the insect? If so, how?
Locomotion.
What methods of locomotion has the insect? Which is the most used? What is the position of the wings when at rest? What is the texture (e.g. thick, smooth, leathery, shell-like, membranous) of the fore and hind wings? For what kind of locomotion are the legs fitted? How?
Sense Organs.
How many antennæ has the insect? What is their character as to shape and length? How many simple and compound eyes?
Feeding.
What is the food of the insect? How are the mouth parts specially adapted to obtaining this food? Note.—The mouth parts of insects may be jaws for biting, or may form a tube for sucking, or a beak for piercing and sucking.
Respiration.
Look for movements of the body indicating breathing, and describe what you find. Discover the location of the spiracles.
Protection.
What are the enemies of this insect? (Among the most important enemies of insects are birds, certain other insects, and various small vertebrates such as frogs, snakes, lizards, turtles, etc.) How does the insect protect itself from these enemies? Describe the shell with respect to thickness and flexibility. What is the character of the surface as to roughness or smoothness or covering of hairs or scales?
Reproduction and Development.
Note.—It may be necessary to get answers to these questions from books. Where are the eggs deposited? What is the number of the eggs? How soon do they hatch? What is the food of the larva or nymph? Are the food habits of the insects harmful to man? If so, how? Describe the larva as to form, color, and appendages. Is it capable of locomotion? Is the metamorphosis complete or incomplete? If complete, describe the pupa and tell where it may be found.
Drawings.
There should be one drawing of the insect to show its general characteristics; usually a dorsal view is best. For other drawings ask your instructor.
8. A REVIEW OF INSECTS
Directions.
The answers to questions in this study may be conveniently written in the form of a table. Construct this table by placing the topics at the left and the names of insects at the top. Allow ample space, about one half inch for the horizontal spaces and one and one half inches in width for the vertical columns. Use one or two insects from each of the principal orders, letting the table extend across two opposite pages.
Topics.
What is the habitat?
What regions has the body?
How many antennæ? What is their form?
What kinds of eyes has the insect? How many of each kind?
How many legs?
For what kind of locomotion are the legs adapted? Which legs are thus used?
How many wings? Membranous or thickened?
What is the position of the wings when at rest?
If the fore wings are thickened, what is their texture,—leathery, smooth and sheath-like, partly membranous, covered with scales?
What kind of mouth parts,—jaws for biting, a beak for piercing, a tube for sucking, adapted for both sucking and biting?
By what means is respiration accomplished?
Summary of Important Points from the Table
What characters are common to all the insects described in the table?
What are the various types of wings? Why do they vary?
What are the various types of legs? How are they characterized?
What are the various types of mouth parts?
Show how the variations in insects are related to the habitat and mode of life of the insect.
9. KEY TO THE PRINCIPAL ORDERS OF INSECTS
A1Insects with no wings. (See list below.)
A2Insects with wingsB
B1With two pairs of wings. (See Note 1 below.)C
B2With one pair of wingsDiptera
C1Both pairs of wings alike in structure, either membranous or scalyD
C2Fore and hind wings unlike in texture, fore wings fold over hind wingsE
D1Both pairs of wings membranous, not covered with scalesF
D2Both pairs of wings covered with scales; mouth parts tubular for suckingLepidoptera
E1Fore wings very smooth, sheath or shell-like, meeting in a straight line when folded; legs adapted for walking, running, or swimming; mouth parts for bitingColeoptera
E2Wings not as in E1I
F1Wings membranous, usually folded or partly folded; few nervesG
F2Both pairs of membranous wings usually outspread, many nerves; mouth parts for bitingH
G1Wings membranous, hooked together and partly folded, or outspread, few nerves in the wings; mouth parts for both biting and sucking; regions of the body usually very distinctHymenoptera
G2Wings membranous, usually folded, few nerves; mouth parts, a beak for sucking and piercingHemiptera
H1Outspread membranous wings, nearly equal in size; antennæ very short and inconspicuousOdonata
H2As in F2, but antennæ not short; wings sometimes foldedNeuroptera
H3Both pairs of wings membranous, folded above the back; fore wings much larger than hind wings; ovipositors long; mouth parts rudimentaryEphemerida
I1Fore wings folded over hind wings, crossing at their tips, which are membranous, base of wings thickened, mouth parts a beak for piercingHemiptera
I2Fore wings leathery, folding either at side of body or on the back; mouth parts for biting, legs often adapted for jumpingOrthoptera
Note 1.—When wings are folded, it will be helpful to remember that thickened fore or cover wings always have membranous wings folded beneath them.
Insects with no wingsOrder
a.Body long and slender, stick-like; legs for walking. Walking stickOrthoptera
b.Grasshopper-like. Cricket grasshopperOrthoptera
c.Small size; regions very distinct; abdomen spindle-shape. AntsHymenoptera
d.Small size; ant-like in appearance; pale white. White antsIsoptera
e.Flattened body, small size; no compound eyes. Springtails and fish mothsThysanura
10. SUMMARY OF THE STUDIES OF INSECTS
The Effect of Great Numbers
Take some insect for illustration, as the house fly, mosquito, tussock moth, or aphis, and show how insects increase in numbers with great rapidity.
What can be said about the number of species of insects?
There is said to be great competition among insects. Why? For what?
How is the great increase of insects held in check by natural means?
What are the various habitats of insects? Give as many as you can with examples of insects that use the habitat.
Give examples to show how greatly the food of insects and the method of obtaining it varies.
Give some illustrations of the great muscular development of insects. Why is this needed?
In what various ways are insects protected against their enemies? Give examples to illustrate your statement.
Show how and why the great numbers of insects have affected the structure and mode of life of the insects.
Classification
By means of illustrations from your studies of insects show how classification is based upon likeness of structure.
In the same manner show how differences in structure affect classification.
Show how variation in the wings and mouth parts is used to separate insects into orders.
What are the principles of classification?
11. REVIEW AND LIBRARY EXERCISE ON INSECTS
General Topics
General characteristics of insects.
Principal orders of insects with characteristics and examples of each order.
Respiration and air sacs of insects. Use of air sacs in flight.
The heart and blood of insects. How the function of the blood differs from that of other animals, as man.
Special senses of insects: their character, location, and efficiency.
Sound-making organs of insects.
Power of communication among insects, as among ants, for example.
Organs for depositing eggs, ovipositors. How they vary.
Homes of insects. Evidences of architecture in some of the homes.
How some plants make homes for insects. Galls and gall insects.
In what various ways do insects survive the winter? Illustrate with examples.
Community life among insects. Types of communities.
Pollination of flowers by insects. Why insects do this work and how the flowers compel them to do it in the right manner. Value to the plants. Types of insects useful for this purpose.
Adaptations for protection against enemies. Classify these adaptations and illustrate with examples.
The principal insect pests of the orchard and their work.
The principal insect pests of the garden and the work of each.
The principal insect pests of shade trees and their characteristics.
The principal insect pests of the household and methods of extermination.
The work of birds in helping to keep the number of harmful insects down.
A spraying table showing what poisons are used, when and for what plants and insects.
The principal beneficial insects and the ways in which they are beneficial.
Special Topics
Much of the information called for by the topics below may be obtained from United States and state government bulletins. Most of these may be obtained free from the Department of Agriculture and from various state agricultural colleges, while others may be obtained by purchase at a nominal price.
Orthoptera.
Locust migrations and their cause. The locust plagues of the "great plains." Crickets and their "songs."
Hemiptera.
The fight against the orange scale of California. History of the introduction and spread of the San José scale bug and the efforts to find a natural enemy. How people fight the pest. Aphids. Relations of ants and aphids. Phylloxera and its work. The methods of fighting the chinch bug. Scale bugs. Cochineal bug and the lacs.
Coleoptera.
The carrion beetle and its peculiar habits. Fireflies. Egyptian scarabs. The curculio and methods of fighting it. The weevils and their work. History of the Colorado potato beetle. Lady-bird beetles, their habits and use in exterminating harmful pests.
Diptera.
The investigations in Cuba of the cause of yellow fever. The fight against yellow fever in New Orleans. Methods of preventing plagues of mosquitoes. How flies are carriers of disease. Methods of preventing plagues of flies. The tsetse fly. Sleeping sickness. The house fly and typhoid. Parasitic larvæ of flies.
Lepidoptera.
The silkworm and the silk industry. Story of the gypsy moth. Life history of the clothes moth. Harmful butterflies. The tussock moth and its history. Blastophaga and fig culture. The codling moth and its work. Cutworms. The brown-tail moth.
Hymenoptera.
The honeybee and honey making. Gall and gall insects. The habits of the digger wasp. The homes of ants. Habits of ants. Slavery among ants. Agricultural ants. Homes of bees. Ichneumon flies and their beneficial habit. Evidences of intelligence among ants.
SOME COMMON BUTTERFLIES—A Reference Table and Key
Group Common Name Wing Expanse in Inches Broods Food Plants of Caterpillar Haunts of the Butterfly Characteristic Colors, Markings, Etc.
Milkweed Butterflies Monarch 4–4½ May and Oct. Milkweed and dogbane Open fields everywhere Brick-red color, veins black, borders of wings black
Fritillaries or Silver Spots Variegated fritillary 1¾–2½ August Passion flower Low fields Orange-brown color, checkered with black, no silver spots. A southern species
Regal fritillary 3–4 July, Aug. Violets, pansies Low fields Upper side of wings reddish with wavy black lines, hind wing dark
Great spangled fritillary 3–4 July, Aug. Violets, pansies Meadows Similar to idalia, but hind wings lighter. Silver spots on under surface of wings
Silver-bordered fritillary 1½ July, Aug., Sep. Violets, pansies Meadows, hillsides Edge of wings tipped with silver, silver spots below
Meadow fritillary 1¾ July, Aug., Sep. Violets, pansies Meadows No silver border, silver below
Checker Spots Baltimore 1¼–2¼ June, July Turtlehead and aster Swamps Groundwork of black with many red and white spots. Conspicuous border of red spots
Harris checker spot 1½ June Aster and daisy Clover meadows Wings dark bordered, lighter band across middle of wings
Crescent Spots Silver crescent 1¼–2 July Asters Roadsides Groundwork of orange-red mottled with black, silver crescents on under margin of hind wings
Pearl crescent 1¼–1⅝ July, Sep. Asters, daisy Roadsides Similar to silver crescent but colors are paler
Angle wings Comma 2 May, June, Aug. Elm, nettle, hop Along woods and waste places Pale red, angled wings, under surface light gray marked with silver commas
Interrogation 2½ May, July, Aug. Elm, nettle, hop Near trees Similar to comma, but marked with silver semi-colons
Tortoise Shells Compton's tortoise 2¾ Feb., Oct. Willow Near water Looks much like the angle wings, but has no silver spots
Milberts's tortoise 1¾ May, June, Aug., Sep. Nettle Roadsides Broad, reddish yellow band across both wings
Mourning cloak 3 Apr., July, Sep. Willow, poplar Everywhere Black with yellow or cream-bordered wings
The Beauties Red admiral 2 May, July, Sep. Nettle, elm Waste land Bright red band circling across both wings
Painted beauty 2 May, July, Sep. Everlasting, thistle, burdock Thistles Mottled with pink, black and white, under surface mottled, two large spots on under surface of hind wing
Thistle butterfly 2–2¼ May, July, Sep. Thistles Pastures Like the painted beauty, but has several small eye spots
The White Admirals Red-spotted purple 3 July Wild cherry, apple, etc. Near trees Purple and blue above, six red spots on under surface of wings
Banded purple 2½ July Hawthorn Open woods A broad white band across both wings
Viceroy 2½ June, Aug. Poplar, willow Roadsides Imitates the monarch, but is smaller and has a black line across the hind wings
The Satyrs Grass nymph 1¾ July Grass Meadows Dull brown, twenty spots in two rows across the wings
Little wood satyr 1¾ July Grass Hillsides Dull brown, six spots
Wood nymph 2 July Grass Hillsides Dull brown, two eye spots on each fore wing in a larger yellow spot
Hairstreaks Hop hairstreak 1⅛ May, July Hop About shrubbery Dark color, hind wings have slender tail-like projection and black spots crowned with crimson
The Coppers American copper 1 May, June, Sep. Sorrel Everywhere Orange-red fore wings spotted with black, hind wing with orange border
The Blues Common blue 1 May, July Pea Roadsides Male light violet, female lighter with reddish bordered wings
Tailed blue 1 May, Aug., Sep. Clover, etc. Roadsides, fields Purplish violet color, has small tail-like projection on hind wings
The Whites Common white 2 May, July, Sep. Mustard family Gardens White checkered with black on fore wings, female brownish
Cabbage butterfly 2 May, July, Sep. Cabbage, etc. Gardens White, black tip on fore wing, one or two spots on hind wing
The Sulphurs Common sulphur m. 1¾, f. 2¼ May, June, Sep. Clover Meadows Yellow, bordered with black
Cloudless sulphur 2½ July Cassia and legumes Fields Canary-yellow color
The Swallowtails Tiger swallowtail 3–5 June, Aug. Cherry, tulip tree Open woods Yellow with black lines across wings
Black swallowtail 3–4 June, Aug. Parsley Gardens, roadsides Black with two bands of yellow spots and one band of blue spots
Green-clouded swallowtail 3¾–4¾ June, Sep. Spice bush, sassafras Open woods Black, one row yellow spots, hind wing clouded with green
Blue swallowtail 3¾–4¼ July, Sep. Dutchman's pipe vine Near houses Black shaded with blue green, one row whitish spots