THE MEAL-WORM. 127 



From this apparent want of a neck they are deno- 

 minated Atrachelia"^. Instead of the sunny flowery 

 banks where we meet with even the most sluggish of 

 the preceding insects^ those of the present tribe 

 frequent the darkest situations they can find ; they 

 are frequently of a black colour^ often destitute 

 of wings, and their motions are exceedingly slow. 

 Their larva? appear generally to live under the bark 

 of trees_, or in rotten wood, and in similar situations 

 the perfect insects are usually to be found. Some of 

 the latter, however, which somewhat approach the 

 beetles of the preceding tribe in their appearance, do 

 so also in their habits, and are to be met with, like 

 them, upon flowers. 



One of the commonest of the British species is the 

 Tenebrio molitor, which in fact appears to be an 

 abundant insect in most parts of the world, having 

 been introduced into many places by the extension of 

 commerce. It belongs to a group of beetles, many of 

 which feed, both in the larva and perfect states, upon 

 corn and flour, and even upon bread and biscuits, to 

 the latter of which, when packed for a sea voyage, 

 they are often excessively destructive. The larva of 

 the Tenebrio molitor, which is well known as the 

 Meal-worm, is found commonly in mills, bakehouses, 

 &c. in all parts of the country ; it is about an inch in 

 length, of a slender cylindrical form and tawny 

 colour, and furnished with six short legs. It lives in 

 the midst of the flour or meal upon which it feeds 

 greedily, and after changing its skin several times, 

 undergoes its transformation to the pupa state in the 

 same situation. In this condition it remains for 

 about six weeks, when the perfect beetle emerges. 

 * Gr. a, priv., traclielos, a neck. 



