44 INSECT LIFE. 



LESSON XX. 



THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF A BEETLE. 



1. Find a potato field infested with the Colorado 

 potato-beetle. Fig-. 20 represents the adult of this 

 insect. 



2. If this species is not in your collection, collect 

 some of the adult beetles for it. 



3. Search for the larva of this potato- 

 beetle. It is a thick, plump grub, strong- 

 ly arched above, and of a pale yellow 

 color, with two rows of black spots on 

 each side. 



4. Search also for the eggs of this in- 

 sect. These are yellow in color and are laid in 

 clusters on the leaves of the potato. 



5. Take the eggs and larva to the school alive and 

 put them in a breeding cage. Keep the larvae sup- 

 plied with fresh potato leaves and watch their de- 

 velopment, keeping notes on it. Put a few of the 

 eggs and larvae in alcohol and preserve them in your 

 collection. 



6. When full grown, the larvae go into the ground 

 to transform ; there should on this account be a layer 

 of soil in the bottom of the cage. 



7. After the larvae have gone into the ground to 

 transform, some of the cocoons should be dug up and 

 preserved in the collection. 



8. When the beetles begin to emerge from the 

 ground, dig up some of the cocoons and remove 

 pupae from them for the collection. 



9. Arrange the specimens of this species in your 



