THE INSECTS OF NEW JERSEY. 



283 



CEROPHYTUM Latr. 

 C. pulsator Halcl. Fort Lee, 1 specimen (Sf). 



Family 



The species belonging to this family are commonly known as "click," 

 "snapping" or "spring beetles," because of their power of springing into 

 the air when laid on their back and turning right-side-up in the process. 

 The prothorax is long, loosely jointed to the meso-thorax, prolonged back- 

 ward on the under side into a curved process, which fits into a groove or 

 cavity in the meso-thorax. When placed on its back the beetle elevates 

 the body until it rests on the head and tip of elytra, and the end of the 



spine rests at the edge of the cavity. 

 The tension is then suddenly removed 

 and the curvature reversed, the shoulders 

 of the wing-covers striking the surface 

 hard enough to elevate the beetle for 

 quite a distance. In general the insects 

 are at least three times as long as wide, 

 broadest at the shoulders and tapering 

 posteriorly. The prevailing colors are 

 brown, black or yellowish, and few of 

 'our species are spotted or banded. As 

 adults they rarely do much feeding and 

 are not injurious. The larvse are long, 

 slender, a little flattened, yellowish or 

 whitish, and very tough or leathery in 

 texture, whence they are termed "wire- 

 worms." Some of these live in decaying 

 wood and are practically harmless, but 

 others live in the soil, feeding on the 

 roots of growing plants, chiefly grasses. 

 Corn, potatoes and other crops following sod are chiefly injured, and when 

 the pests are very abundant little can be done to stop them. Ordinary 

 insecticide applications are entirely useless, because it is practically im- 

 possible to reach the insects where they are feeding. Systematic fall plow- 

 ing of sod land is useful, because it destroys the pupae and recently de- 

 veloped beetles, and this, combined with short periods in sod, serves to 

 lessen the evil. Chickens eat the insects when turned up by the plow, 

 and hogs take them greedily when they can get at them. In the garden 

 they can be attracted to cut pieces of potato, which may be gathered and 

 destroyed when filled with the insects. They have also been baited with 

 little masses of poisoned sweet dough placed underground, but that is 

 onlv attractive while fresh. 



108. A click-beetle, or snap- 

 ping beetle; enlarged. 



