36 



a large hornet, so much so, indeed, that very few persons except Entomologists would at 



first sight care to touch it. In England there is a similar but 



smaller beetle, Clytxis arietis, popularly known as the Wasp beetle, a 



member of the same family as our Maple Borer. The latter, when 



aiTived at its perfect state (See Fig. 26), varies from 9 to 12 



tenths of an inch in length, and from 3 to 5 tenths in width. The 



head is yellow and furnished with powerful mandibles or jaws ; the 



eyes and a band above them extending across the head are black ; 



the antenn» or horns are also black, and are curved somewhat 



after the fashion of those of a goat, a similarity which gave rise to 



their general name of Capricorns or goat-horns. The thorax is deep 



black, with two yellow oblique stripes on each side ; it is very large, 



somewhat globular, and flattened or depressed above. The body is 



deep black, oblong, somewhat cylindrical, a little flattened above, Colours-YeUow&bla«k. 



and tapering behind. The elytra or wing covers have yellow bands, the fir.st o 



which forms a regular arch, of which the keystone is composed of the yellow scutel or 



little shield-shaped spot at the top of the wings, just behind the centre of the thorax ; 



the second band is in the form of the letter W, each V receiving a termination of t'le 



first band ; the third band is nearly transverse, and placed across the middle ; the fourth 



is bent obliquely backward, parallel with and near to a large terminal spot or band, which 



latter has a large black central spot on each wing case. 



The elytra are each tipped with a short blunt tooth. The legs are longand yellow, with 

 a brown line on the inner side of the thighs ; they are made for standing secun^ly, being 

 very broad, and with the third joint deeply notched. The underside of the abdomen is 

 reddish-yellow, variegated with brown. Figure 26 represents the male. The female is 

 larger and stouter than the male, and has rather shorter antennae. She may also be 

 easily distinguished by having a jointed tube at the end of the abdomen, which is capable 

 of being extended or contracted at will, and is used for the purpose of conveying the eggs 

 into the crevices or holes of the bark of the trees. These insects emit a shrill, screeching 

 noise on being handled or disturbed. This noise is caused by rubbing the joints of the 

 thorax and abdomen together. 



The beetles may generally be seen reposing quietly on the trunks of the trees during 

 the day time, as they are more active at night, which period they select for their excur- 

 sions in search of their mates. According to Mr. Harris, the beetle lays its eggs on the 

 trunk of the .maple in the months of July and August. 



The larvae hatched from these eggs are long, whitish, fleshy grubs, with deeply 

 marked transverse incisions on the body. Their legs, which are six in number, are only 

 rudimentary and are of no service in locomotion ; it is by means of the alternate contrac- 

 tion and extension of the rings or segments of the body tiiat these little creatures force 

 their way through the wooden tunnels in which they live, and in order to further assist 

 their progress each segment is furnished witli fleshy tubercles capable of protusion, and 

 wliich, being pressed against the sides of their retreats, unable them to thrust f .rward 

 by degrees t'.ie other segments. As the grub has to feed upon very lianl material it is 

 provided with strong horny jaws, and the head, which is slisrhtly bent downwards, is also 

 covered with a strong horny skin. The grubs penetrate the bark, under which they lie 

 dormant during the winter, and in the succeeding spring and summer they pierce further 

 in, running long winding galleries up and down tiie trunk. The larva; probably remain 

 more than one year in this condition and then change into pupat. in which state tliey are 

 at first whitish and very soft, but gradually harden and darken until the time arrives 

 when the beetle is perfectly matured, and fnrcing a passage through the outer bark, near 

 which it has iustiuctively eaten its way whilst yet a grub, emerges into the open air. 



Although the attacks of these beetles aie not as yet of any great extent, still in some 

 localities tliey have done a good deal of harm. In .^nd near London, especially, we are 

 aware of many fine and valuable maples, chiefly the hard or sugar maple, Acer sMcharinum, 

 tliat are being gradually de:itroyed by the operations of tiu.'se insects. Their attacks can 

 readily be detected by the sawdust and exuviie that they cast out of their burrows, and 

 in the 'pring, whilst still near the suiface, it is quite possible to kill them by means of a 

 stout piece of wire, or the judicious use of a good sharp kuile. 



