188 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



liant, often metallic. On being disturbed, the insects draw up their 

 legs and feign death, They creep slowly, flying in the hot sun, 

 and feed on wood, flowers and sap ; being found especially on fir 

 trees. They should be sought for while sunning themselves on 

 trunks of trees, where they lay their eggs. 



The larvae are also elongated, the thorax is broad, while the 

 abdomen may be equally broad, or narrow and cylindrical. They 

 are wood borers, and live in this state several years. 



Ghalcopliora virginica is common in May and June. Dicerca 

 has the tip of abdomen divided. Chrysoboihris lives in the apple 

 tree. 



Elateridae, or Snapping beetles, are known to many by their 

 power of righting themselves when turned on their backs, by 

 jerking themselves up into the air, since their legs are too short 

 to catch hold of the surface they are upon. They are of a very 

 uniform elongate ellipsoid form, somewhat flattened, the head and 

 pro thorax rendered very distinct by a depression of the base of the 

 elytra. Colors are obscure brown, sometimes green with metallic 

 reflections. 



They frequent the flowers of Viburnum, of rhubarb in gardens, 

 and are found under bark. The Eucnemidoe are rare, being found 

 under bark ©r on leaves. Alaus oculatus, is the larger ocellated 

 species. The larvae are called wire-worms fr©m their long cylin- 

 drical form. They feed on the roots of grass, grain, &c.^ often 

 devour turnips, salad, cabbages and pinks, living in the interior 

 of these stems. Moles devour great quantities of them. Other 

 species inhabit rotten stumps. They live several years in this 

 state. 



We pass over several smaller groups to the 



Lampyridoe, or Glow worm. They resemble the Elatcrs, but are 

 shorter and broader, and of softer consistence. 



The species of Ellychnia are found early in spring and fall, on 

 trunks of trees, and they winter under the bark. 



The female glow worm is apterous, and resembles the larvae ; the 

 end of the abdomen is light colored, and at night this portion 

 sheds a brilliant light at its will. Winged females of other genera 

 emitting a bright light, appear on low grounds in the evenings, at 

 the middle of June. Drilus is distinguished by the plumose an- 

 tennae. The larvae are flatted, the margin of their bodies is ser- 

 rated, and they are soft and black in color. They are carnivorous 



