8 



Figure 11. 



Another group of thin- winged beetles are 

 serviceable in the same manner as those nam- 

 ed. These are sometimes called soldier 

 beetles, though the significance of the name 

 is not very apparent. Figures 9 and 10 show 

 the form of these beetles. Figure 10 is not 

 found in this region. The larvae feed upon 

 the larvae of many insects ; that of figure 9, 

 among others, eats the lai-va of the plum 

 ciircuHo. Few beneficial insects are more 

 useful than the so-called lady-birds or rose 

 beetles. They belong to a large fiunily 

 known as the CoccinelUdce. These insects 

 will be more fully considered later in this 

 paper, since' they are especially valuable as 

 devourers of plant lice. 



They are frequently seen, often several of 

 them together, about our windows in early 

 spring, and have more than once caused 

 needless alarm because they were mistaken 

 for the dreaded buffalo bug. Several spe- 

 cies are seen in figures 59, ^^^ They 

 feed upon plant lice in botli the larval and 

 adult state. 



Figure 11, upper figure perfect beetle, 

 lower larva, shows a large and not very un- 

 common beetle which is especially useful as 



wi 1 -^ 1 Figure 11. 



adevourer ot cut worms, although it does ^^^^^^^^ car,guwsus,Say. 



not limit itself to this diet, but destroys beetle and Larva. 

 the lai-vai of other insects. Wasps and hornets are disliked by 

 fruit growers because of the injury which they often do to fruit, 



and they also sometimes destroy 

 bees, but they destroy great num- 

 bers of injurious insects, and are 

 to be regarded as highlv benefi- 

 cial. Figure 12 represents a com- 

 mon Wasp. There are many 

 species of very minute flies or fly- 

 like insects, which lay their tiny 

 eggs on or in those of injurious 

 insects, and the ^t^^ of the para- 

 site hatching before that of the 



Figure 12. 



Folistes bellicostis. 



