COLEOPTERA 



521 



fore coxae are conical and prominent 

 occur in this country. 



The hermit flower-beetle, Os- 

 moderma eremicola. — This is one 

 of the larger of our flower-beetles 

 (Fig. 628). It is of a deep mahog- 

 any-brown color, nearly smooth, 

 and highly polished. It is 

 supposed that the larva lives on 

 decaying wood in forest-trees. 



The rough flower-beetle, Os- 

 moderma scdbra, is closely allied 

 to the preceding. It is not quite 

 as large, measuring about 2 5 mm. 

 in length. It is purplish black, 

 and the wing-covers are rough- 

 ened with irregular, coarsely 

 punctured striae. It is nocturnal, 

 concealing itself during the day in 

 the crevices and hollows of trees. 

 The larva lives in the decaying 

 wood of apple and cherry, con- 

 suming the wood and inducing 

 more rapid decay. 



The genus Euphoria repre- 

 sents well the form of the more 

 typical flower-beetles, which are 

 distinguished by the margin of 

 each wing-cover having a large, 

 wavy indentation near its base, 

 which renders 

 the side pieces 

 of the meso- 

 thorax visible 

 from above. 

 This indenta- 

 tion makes it 



More than one hundred species 



Fig. 627. — The sugar-cane beetle. 



unnecessary 



for these insects to raise or expand their wing- 

 covers when flying, as most beetles do, as they 

 are able to pass the wings out from the sides. 

 The bumble flower-beetle. Euphoria mda. — 

 The most common of our flower-beetles, at least 

 in the North, is a yellowish brown one, with the 

 wing-covers sprinkled all over with small, irregular, 

 black spots (Fig. 629). It is one of the first insects 

 to appear in the spring. It flies near the surface ot 

 the ground with a loud himiming sound, like that of a bumble-bee, for 

 which it is often mistaken. During the summer months it is not seen ; 



Fig. 628. 



