436 HYBERNATION OF INSECTS. 



beetles [Eutrechina) adhere by their claws to the under 

 side of the stone, which serves for their retreat, their 

 backs being next to the ground ; in which posture, 

 probably, they are most effectually protected from wet. 

 Gyrohypmis sa?igui)wlent?is, and other rove-beetles of 

 the same genus, coils itself up like a snake, with the 

 head in the centre. 



The majority of insects pass the winter in perfect soli- 

 tude. Occasionally, however, several individuals of one 

 species, not merely of such insects as Anchomenus pra- 

 si?i?is, a beetle, Pynhocoyis ajiteriis, a bug, &c., which 

 usually in summer also live in a sort of society, but of 

 others which are never seen thus to associate, as Haltica 

 oleracea, Carabus intricatus, and several Coccinellce, &c. 

 are found crowded together. This is perhaps often more 

 through accident than design, as individuals of the same 

 species are frequently met with singly ; yet that it is not 

 wholly accidental, seems proved by the fact that such 

 assemblages are generally of the same genus and even 

 species. Sometimes, however, insects of dissimilar ge- 

 nera and even orders are met with together. Schmid 

 once in February found the rare Lomechusa sirumosa 

 torpid in an ant-hill in the midst of a conglomerated 

 lump of ants, with which it was closely intertwined*. 



By far the greater proportion of insects pass the winter 

 only in one or other of the several states of egg, pupa, 

 larva, or imago, but are never found to hybernate in 

 mo7e than one. Some species, however, depart from 

 this rule. Thus Ajjhts Roscc, Cardui, and probably many 

 others of the geiuis, hybernate both in the egg and per- 



" Illig. Alag. i. 491. 



