98 



LAMELLICORN-BEETLES. 



insects deserved the prize for being the greatest tormentor. Not 

 thait the beetles would bite, but they would crawl all over a per- 

 son, and as their feet were not clad in slippers, but were shod 

 with long nails in the form of sharp spines, their presence was 

 far from being pleasant, especially as they were "thick as bees." 

 Among the members of the Rhinoceros-beetles one species 

 should be mentioned, as it is the largest of our American beetles ; 

 it is well named the Rhinoceros-beetle, (Dynastes tityus Linn.), 

 as may be seen in the illustration (Fig. 105). The larva of this 



Fig. 105. — Dynastes tityus, Linn. After Division of Entomology. U. S. De- 

 partment of Agriculture. 



giant feeds in the roots of decaying trees, preferring old cherry- 

 stumps. The ash furnishes food for several allied but smaller 

 species, both for the adult beetles and for their larvae. In the 

 South, where such bad-smelling beetles are fairly common, some- 

 times very much so, they may be attracted by bruising willows 

 or other plants, and there the adults congregate to lap the sap. 

 It is only the male that possesses such horns, which are simply 

 ornamental, and not useful, as poorly fed larvae produce males 

 with very short horns. Notwithstanding the threatening aspect 

 of these nocturnal beetles they are entirely harmless. 



