GROUND-BEETLES. 



23 



A similar beetle, illsutrated in Fig- 19, is the Lebia grand is 

 Hentz. This similarity extends, however, only to the coloring 

 of the insect, not to its method of defense. The beetle is very 

 useful, and sometimes becomes quite numerous in potato fields 

 infested with the Colorado potato-beetle. It eats their eggs as 

 well as the young worms ; other small soft-bodied insects are 

 also pleasing to its taste. 



There are other useful beetles belonging to this division, which 

 deserve a passing notice. In fields filled with eggs of locusts we 

 find numerous oval-shaped black beetles (A mora obesa Say), Fig. 



Fig. 21*. Harpalus herhivagus, Sav. 

 After Riley. 



larva; 6. head of same. Enlarged. 



20 which run about very diligently in search of food. They 

 deposit eggs in the ground, from which yellowish-white worms, 

 also shown in the illustration, hatch in due time. These worms 

 search for the eggs of locusts, and devour immense numbers of 

 them. The larvae of another beetle, shown in Fig. 21. are also 

 found in similar places, and also do similar good work. They 

 transform in time into black beetles, the Harpalus licrbivagus Say. 

 A related beetle, the H. pcnnsylvanicus DeG., which is frequently 



*In case the illustrated is enlarged, the true size is usually given by a fine lint- 

 near the figure. 



