THE COLEOPTERA 



101 



Moth, even climbing trees in search of its prey, and it is now fairly common in 

 most of the New England States (Fig. 82). As at, whole, the group is distinctly a 

 beneficial one, feeding on injurious insects both above ground and as these enter 

 the ground to pupate. 



Family Cicindelidas (Tiger beetles). — The active flight and bright colors 

 of many of the tiger beetles, though most of them are small insects, only about 

 half an inch long, make the members of this family quite noticeable (Fig. 83). 

 They are sun- loving forms, most common along roadsides and in sandy places. 

 When flushed they fly quickly a few yards, then alight and often turn, facing the 

 intruder as though watching his movements. Both they and their larviP feed on 

 other insects, the larva living in a burrow in the ground and placing itself at the 

 mouth of the burrow ready to grasp any unwary insect which may come near. 

 The elytra of the adult are usually metallic brown with light-colored marks sug- 

 gestive of musical characters or perhaps hieroglyphics, though in some cases bright 

 green, purple, or other colors dominate. In the West the largest insect belonging 

 to this family {Amhhjchila cijlindriformis Say) does its hunting at night, as is also 

 the case with certain related forms of the Pacific Coast. 



Fig. 83.— Tiger Beetle (Ctmide?a), slightly 

 enlarged. (Original.) 



Fig. 84. — Dytiscid Beetle (Dijtiscus verticalis 

 Say), natural size. (Original.) 



Famihj Dytiscidae (Carnivorous diving-beetles). — Members of this family are 

 present in almost every quiet stream and pond. They are oval, rather flat 

 beetles, usually black, and good swimmers, the hinder pair of legs being broad and 

 somewhat oar-like and heavily fringed with hairs (Fig. 84). The antennse are 

 thread-like. Whenever they need air, they float up to the surface of the water 

 and allow the hinder end of the body to project a little out of the water. Then, 

 lifting the elytra slightly, the air enters the space under them and is retained 

 there aided by hairs present. The insect can now stay under water until this air 

 supply has been e.xhausted. The larva^, often called "water-tigers, " they are such 

 voracious creatures, feed, like the adults, on various water insects and other 

 animals, even attacking small fish. Some of this family may be at least an inch 

 and a half long. 



Family G3rrinidae (Whirligig-beetles). — These insects swim on the surface 

 of quiet water, generally in groups, and go around and around in a "whirligig" 

 sort of fashion. They are usually bluish-black, oval in form, and the compound 



