BEETLES. 



547 



egg-mass of the locust, this hirva forms a cavity in tlic yrouiid, |iai-tially moults, ami 

 enters the jiscuilo-pupal (sometimes termed coarctate larval) stage. Usually hiberna- 

 tion takes [ilace in this stage. The third larva is ix'vealed in the spring by a shedding 

 of the pseudo-pupal skin. The third larva burrows about the ground, without feed- 

 ing, soon pujKites, and tlu' imago emerges shortly after. The stages of the Meloidie 

 parasitic upon bees, anil uf those uliieh are devouri-rs of locust eggs, can be more 

 easily understood ajid eumpared with the ordinary metamorphoses of Coleoptei-a I>v a 

 glance at the following' tabular arrangement : — 



UEE-rAI'.AsITKS. 



Triungnlbt (1st larva): Active, often a planl- 

 cliniber; bee-parasite, and egg-eater. 



Second larva: Sluggisl), ami a liouey-eater; 

 usually with two moults. 



Pseudo-pupa : Coarctate larva, is a resting 



stage. 

 Third larca : Again active, but does not teed. 

 Pupa. 

 Imaijo. 



DEVOlIilXG EGGS OF ORTUOl'TEliA. 



Ti-iuiKjiiUn (1st larva): Active, running about 



Second lu.n:a : An i 



carabidoid stage. 



egg-eater. i s«»-ilj:"^loia stage. 



( ultimate stage. 



Ptseudo-pupa ; Coarctate larva, is a resting 



stage. 

 Third l(in:(i : Again active, but does not feed. 

 Pupa. 

 Iinii'jo. 



Lijttu vesirutorki^ tiie Spanish tly, is a brtmze green species, about 0.75 of an inch 

 long, and is found in middle and southern Europe and in southwestern Asia, where it 

 feeds upon ash {Fraxinus excelsior), lilac, and other trees. Curiously enough, the 



Fig. 389. — £2/«a vesicatoria, Spanish fly. 



life history of this insect, which was so long used for medicinal ]iurposes, remained 

 almost unknown until 1879, when J. Lichtenstein ]niblished an account of rearing 

 the imago from the triungulin, which latter fed u])on eggs of Ccmtiiia chakiies, a 

 hymenopteron. The triungulin. which is, of course, very small, has strongly ]irotu- 

 berant eyes, and two long caudal a])])endages. In five or six days the triunn-ulin 

 changes to the second larva, a little white grub, with si.x feet. The mandibles, sharp 

 in the triungulin, are short and blunt in the second larva, whicii feeds on hoiu'y. 

 After five days the second larva moults, the mamlililes are still tnore blunt, and the 

 eyes less prominent. At the end of a second five days' period another moulting takes 

 place, the eyes entirely disajiijcar, and the larva becomes scarabieidoid. The larva 

 now descends into the ground, where, in a snndl cavity, it pupates in about five days. 

 The pseudo-iuipa is simihu- to the well-known i)upa' of :Muscida=, but has four little 

 protidjerances or warts ujion the head and three j)air of warts in place of feet. The 

 color is yellowish white ; :md from time to time a clear fluid is e.vuded from jiores of 



