180 



COLEOPTERA— BEETLES 



country but is not very abundant for the most part. It 

 is less abundant where rugs are used than where carpets are 

 used. 



Click Beetles (FJatcrida'). — (Mick beetles are interesting on 

 account of structure and their habits which are of economic 

 importance. Tliey make a sudden click and throw them- 

 selves up into the air. This is produced by a little spur on 

 the prothorax which fits into a little pit in the mesosternum. 

 This is characteristic of the entire family and is not found 

 in any other family. Its purpose is to throw the insect into 

 the air and allow it to turn over. The larvie are called 



V 



Fig. 129. 



-Click beetle tind wire worm (Alelanotua cominutiis): 

 beetle. (After Bruner.) 



larva; b, 



wire w^orms. These are very troublesome ])ests. Many of 

 them are primarily grass-root feeders and will be found as 

 larvse in grass lands, the larvae li\'ing just below the surface 

 of the soil, and feeding mainly on the roots of the grass. 

 When the land is plowed and planted in corn or some other 

 crop the wire worms attack this other crop, sometimes in 

 a much more noticeable manner than they do the grass. 

 The larvae are not capable of migrating very great distances, 

 and must depend on the ^'egctati()n that is present where 

 they are hatched. The length of the larval period is shown 

 by their presence in a field of corn three years after it has 



