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Any young insect from the time that it hatches from the egg until it becomes a pupa, or chrysalis. During this time it usually molts several times, and may change its form or color each time. The larvæ of many insects are much like the adults in form and habits, but have no trace of wings, the rudimentary wings appeari…

Of or pertaining to a larva.

er of Tunicata, including Appendicularia, and allied genera; -- so called because certain larval features are retained by them through life. Called also Copelata. See Appendicularia.

hence, concealed; obscure; -- applied in medicine to doubtful cases of some diseases; as, larvate pneumonis; larvate epilepsy.

Masked; clothed as with a mask.

The peculiar larva of Polygordius. See Polygordius.

A larval entozoön in the form of a subglobular or oval vesicle, or hy datid, filled with fluid, sometimes found in the tissues of man and the lower animals; -- so called from the absence of a head or visible organs on the vesicle. These cysts are the immature stages of certain tapeworms. Also applied to similar cysts o…

A peculiar larval form of Phoronis, a genus of marine worms, having a circle of ciliated tentacles.

A handsome butterfly (Pyrameis Atalanta) of Europe and America. The larva feeds on nettles. Admiral shell (Zoöl.), the popular name of an ornamental cone shell (Conus admiralis). Lord High Admiral, a great officer of state, who (when this rare dignity is conferred) is at the head of the naval administration of Great Br…

A kind of annelid larva having both a dorsal and a ventral circle of special cilia.

small moth (Gelechia cerealella) which is very destructive to wheat and other grain. The larva eats out the inferior of the grain, leaving only the shell.

A neuropterous insect, the larva of which makes in the sand a pitfall to capture ants, etc. The common American species is Myrmeleon obsoletus, the European is M. formicarius.

A genus of small beetles, several of which, in the larval state, are very destructive to woolen goods, fur, etc. The common "museum pest" is A. varius; the carpet beetle is A. scrophulariæ. The larvæ are commonly confounded with moths.

The larva of the lacewinged flies (Chrysopa), which feeds voraciously upon aphids. The name is also applied to the larvæ of the ladybugs (Coccinella).

for resemblances to the larvæ of other Tunicata. It is the type of the order Copelata or Larvalia. See Illustration in Appendix.

A lepidopterous insect, which in the larval state often travels in great multitudes from field to field, destroying grass, grain, and other crops. The common army worm of the northern United States is Leucania unipuncta. The name is often applied to other related species, as the cotton worm.

A kind of chætopod larva in which no circles of cilia are developed.

A kind of holothurian larva, with soft, blunt appendages. See Illustration in Appendix.

d or fresh. Bacon beetle (Zoöl.), a beetle (Dermestes lardarius) which, especially in the larval state, feeds upon bacon, woolens, furs, etc. See Dermestes. -- To save one's bacon, to save one's self or property from harm or less. [Colloq.]

One of several lepidopterous insects which construct, in the larval state, a baglike case which they carry about for protection. One species (Platoeceticus Gloveri) feeds on the orange tree. See Basket worm.