252 



Beetles 



With four tarsal segments in each of the feet Section Tetramera (p. 277). 



Mostly with slender cylindrical antennae, sometimes very long and thread-like, 

 sometimes shorter and thickened toward the ti[); the fourth and 6fth seg- 

 ments of the tarsus closely fused, the fourth segment being verj' small and 

 sometimes difficult to distinguish. 



(Plant-eating beetles.) Tribe Phytophaca (p. 277). 



With three tarsal segments in each of the feet Section Trimera (p. 286). 



With the front and middle legs with 5-segmcnted tarsi, and the hind legs with 4-seg- 

 mented tarsi Section Heteromera (p. 288) 



SECTION PENTAMERA. 



In the tribe of Adephaga, or carnivorous beetles, are four principal 

 families, which may be distinguished by the following key: 



Terrestrial. 



.\ntenna; inserted on front of the head above the base of the mandibles. 



(Tiger-beetles.) Cicindelid.e. 

 Antennae inserted on side of the head between the base of the jaws and the eyes. 



(Predaceous ground-beetles.) CARABID.E. 

 Aquatic. 



With two eves (Predaceous diving-beetles.) Dytiscid.e. 



With four eyes, two above and two below (Whirligig -beetles.) GVRINID.E. 



The attractive tiger-beetles (Cicindelidae) are great favorites with col- 

 lectors, and deservedly. Their vivid, sharply marked metallic colors, trim 

 clean body, and constant alertness and activity, together with their fond- 

 ness for warm, bright hunting-grounds and their clever and "gamy" 

 elusiveriess of the collecting-net, combine to give these 

 fierce, swift little creatures a high place in the regard of 

 the beetle-catching sportsman. There are but four genera 

 in the family, but the genus Cicindela contains about 

 sixty species, distributed over the whole country. In 

 California we are not provided with quite our share of tiger- 

 beetles, but then there are not so many Cicindelid-hunters 

 as in the East. Look for tiger-beetles on sunny days in 

 hot dustv roads or open sandy spots. In cold and cloudy 

 weather, and at night, they lie hidden under stones or 

 chips or in burrows, although a few species are nocturnal 

 in habit. When out and running or flying about they are 

 hunting; their big eyes and long sharp mandibles and the 

 whole seeming of the body some way betray their predatory 

 habits even before one sees the swift pounce on some 

 dull-witted, slow-footed insect, and the eager blood- 

 drinking immediately thereafter. 

 The egg-laying habit of the tiger-beetles is not yet known, but the larva.' 

 and their habits are familiar. They are ugly, malformed, strong-jawed 



Fig. 342. — Larva 

 of a t i ge r- 

 beetle, Cicindela 

 hybrida. (Ahev 

 Schiodte; three 

 times natural 

 size.) 



