232 



COLEOPTERA 



Fig. 112.^ Pria 



the genera Mcligetlics and Ejuiraea are among the most abundant 

 of our beetles. Most of what is known as to the larvae is 

 due to Perris ; several have been found living in iiowers ; that 

 of Pria haunts the flower of Solanmn dulcamara at the junction 

 of the stamens with the corolla ; tlie larva of Melujetlics aeneus 

 sometimes occasions much loss by prevent- 

 ing the formation of seed in cultivated 

 Cruciferae, such as Kape. These iloricolous 

 larvae grow with great rapidity, and then 

 leave the flowers to pupate in the ground. 

 The larva of Nitidula lives in carcases, 

 though it is not very different from that 

 of Pria. The larva of Soronia lives in 

 fermenting sap, and has four hooks curv- 

 Britain. A, Larva (after ing upwards at the extremity of the body. 



Ferris) ; B, perfect Insect, ^i • /-t i t i 



ihe curious genus Uyboccphalns consists 

 of some very small, extremely convex Insects that live in flowers 

 in Southern Europe ; they have only four joints to the tarsi. 

 The perfect Insects of the group Ipides are remarkable from 

 having a stridulating organ on the front of the head. I'he classi- 

 fication of the well-known genus Rhizopliagus has given rise to 

 much discussion ; although now usually placed in Nitidulidae, 

 we think it undoubtedly belongs to Cucujidae. 



Fam. 29. Trogositidae. — Differs f rum Nitidulidae in the struc- 

 ture of tliC tarsi ; these appear to l)e four- 

 jointed, loith the tliird joint similar in 

 size and form to the ^jrt'cerfi?/// ; thei/ 

 are, hotvever, really five-jointed, an ex- 

 tremely short has(d joiiit heiny ^jrcsf?/^/. 

 Hind coxae contiguous. The cluli of eacli 

 antenna is hilatercdly asymmetric, and 

 the sensitive surface is confined to certain 

 2)arts of the joiiits. There are some 400 

 or 500 species of Trogositidae, but nearly 

 all of them are exotic. The larvae (Fig. 

 113, A), are predaceous, destroying other Fig. lU.—TemnocMla coeruUa. 



, -1 1 1 •. ? Europe. A, Larva (after 



larvae in large numbers, and it is pro- perris) ; B, perfect insect. 

 bable that the imaffos do the same. 



The larva of Tenehroides (better known as Trogosita) luauritanica 

 is found in corn and flour, and is said to have sometimes been very 



