LAMELUCORN-BEETLES. 105 



fairly common in Minnesota, and are frequently received by the 

 entomologist to name them and describe their habits. The former, 

 ( eremicola), is a flat, deep mahogany-brown beetle, nearly smooth 

 and highly polished. The latter, (scabra), is purplish-black, and 

 has the wing-covers roughened with irregular and coarsely punc- 

 tured striae; it has a bronzed appearance. Both beetles are noc- 

 turnal in their habits and hide during the day near the base of 

 trees. Though not frequently seen they are common enough. 

 The insects feed upon the sap of injured trees, but have also been 

 seen enjoying a ripe apple. Fig. ] 10 shows 0. eremicola and Fig. 

 ii2. O. scabra. 



The larva; of both species live in the decaying wood of the 

 apple, as well as that of the cherry and other trees ; here they 

 consume the wood and induce more rapid decay. The larva is a 

 large, fleshy "white grub", with a hard and reddish head and 

 horny scales on the prothorax. When mature, late in autumn, 

 each larva forms for itself an oval cell of the fragments of wood, 

 which are cemented together with a glutinous material so as to 

 be water proof. Inside this cocoon it undergoes its transforma- 

 tions, appearing as a beetle during the month of July, August, or 

 early September. Frequently a number of such larvae are found 

 together in the same place, and in this case they can cause con- 

 siderable injury. 



Some closely allied beacles are also lovers of fruit and 

 flowers, but cause no damage. The peculiarly marked Gnorimks 

 maculaius Knoch was once found in large numbers eating the 

 liowers of the shadberry, a plant frequently grown not only for 

 ornamental purposes but also on acount of its pleasantly flavored 

 fruit. Several species of a still smaller species of flower-beetles 

 belonging to the genus of Trick ins are very fond of flowers, and 

 especially so of the rose ; here they sometimes cause much injury 

 by eating both pollen and petals. They are diurnal in their habits, 

 and are readilv detected in such flowers. Some of these beetles 

 are very pretty, of a brown, black, dark blue, or even metallic 

 green color, marked with white lines, and an abundance of soft 

 hairs, as may be seen in Fig. I T3, Plate VI. 



