LEAF-BEETLES. 167 



The larvae of Hispidac are leaf-miners ; the eggs are covered 

 with a little mass of excrement, and are laid singly. None of the 

 beetles are very injurious, with perhaps the exception of the "lo- 

 cust-beetle," (Odontota dorsalis Thunb.), which is orange in col- 

 or, with a broad black stripe along the suture of each elytron. 

 Sometimes this species is so abundant early in summer, on the 

 leaves of the locust, as to cause considerable injury, but as the 

 beetles feed exposed they succumb readily to an application of 

 the arsenites. The larva and pupa of this beetle are shown in 

 Fig. 171. 



According to Prof. Comstock the larva of 0. rubra Web., a 

 beetle from one-eighth to one -fifth of an inch long, of a reddish 

 color, with the elevated portions of the elytra more or less spotted 

 with black, mines in the leaves of apple, forming a blotch-mine. 

 The transformations are undergone within this mine, which is also 

 formed in-great numbers on the leaves of linden or basswood. 



THE ROSY IIISPA. 



(Odontota nervosa Panz.). 



This is a much smaller species, flat, rough, coarsely punc- 

 tuated, the wing-covers forming an oblong square, as shown in 

 Fig. 172. There are three smooth, raised longitudinal lines, 

 spotted with red, on each of them, while the spaces between them 

 are deeply pitted with double rows of dots. The head is small, 

 the feelers short, thickened towards the end, and the thorax is 

 rough above, and striped with deep red on each side. The under 

 side of the body is usually darker in color, sometimes blackish. 

 This species varies a good deal, not alone in size, but also in color 

 and markings, and formerly a number of species had been made 

 of it, one of which, (O. inaeqitalis Web.) is very dark, almost 

 uniformly brownish-black, with some lighter spots and lines. The 

 beetle is found from the latter part of May until the middle of 

 June, and deposits its eggs on the leaves of the apple tree. 



According to Prof. Saunders, "they are small and rough, 

 and of a blackish color, fastened to the surface of the leaves some- 

 times singly, and sometimes in clusters of four or five. 



