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The act of casting off the skin or shell, as do insects and crustaceans; ecdysis.

a house, tent, or the like, in order, by the thick smoke, to keep off mosquitoes or other insects. [U. S.] Bartlett.

a flood from melted snow. -- Snow flower (Bot.), the fringe tree. -- Snow fly, or Snow insect (Zoöl.), any one of several species of neuropterous insects of the genus Boreus. The male has rudimentary wings; the female is wingless. These insects sometimes appear creeping and leaping on the snow in great numbers. --…

öl.), an American carabid beetle (Chauliognathus Americanus) whose larva feeds upon other insects, such as the plum curculio. -- Soldier bug (Zoöl.), any hemipterous insect of the genus Podisus and allied genera, as the spined soldier bug (Podius spinosus). These bugs suck the blood of other insects. -- Soldier crab…

Either one of two species of singular West Indian insectivores, allied to the tenrec. One species (Solendon paradoxus), native of St. Domingo, is called also agouta; the other (S. Cubanus), found in Cuba, is called almique.

associated with others of the same kind. Solitary ant (Zoöl.), any solitary hymenopterous insect of the family Mutillidæ. The female of these insects is destitute of wings and has a powerful sting. The male is winged and resembles a wasp. Called also spider ant. -- Solitary bee (Zoöl.), any species of bee which does n…

or uttered with musical modulations of the voice, whether of a human being or of a bird, insect, etc. "That most ethereal of all sounds, the song of crickets." Hawthorne.

The act of producing sound, as the stridulation of insects.

A genus of small Insectivora, including the common shrews.

ibution; to class. Shellfish have been, by some of the ancients, compared and sorted with insects. Bacon. She sorts things present with things past. Sir J. Davies.

A kind of catchfly (Silene inflata) which is sometimes frothy from the action of captured insects.

A stick insect. Specter bat (Zoöl.), any phyllostome bat. -- Specter candle (Zoöl.), a belemnite. -- Specter shrimp (Zoöl.), a skeleton shrimp. See under Skeleton.

A small sac connected with the female reproductive organs of insects and many other invertebrates, serving to receive and retain the spermatozoa.

nests, to protect their eggs and young. Many species spin also complex webs to entrap the insects upon which they prey. The eyes are usually eight in number (rarely six), and are situated on the back of the cephalothorax. See Illust. under Araneina.

One of the external openings communicating with the air tubes or tracheæ of insects, myriapods, and arachnids. They are variable in number, and are usually situated on the sides of the thorax and abdomen, a pair to a segment. These openings are usually elliptical, and capable of being closed. See Illust. under Coleopte…

The thick, moist matter which is secreted by the salivary glands; saliva; spit. Spittle insect. (Zoöl.) See Cuckoo spit (b), under Cuckoo.

to injure fatally; to ruin; to destroy; as, to spoil paper; to have the crops spoiled by insects; to spoil the eyes by reading.

Any one of numerous species of small apterous insects belonging to the order Thysanura. They have two elastic caudal stylets which can be bent under the abdomen and then suddenly extended like a spring, thus enabling them to leap to a considerable distance. See Collembola, and Podura.

Any stiff, sharp spine, as on the wings and legs of certain burds, on the legs of insects, etc.; especially, the spine on a cock's leg.

e of an animal squatting. "The round, squat turret." R. Browning. The head [of the squill insect] is broad and squat. Grew.