FULLER S ROSE BEETLE: ITS TRANSFORMATION'S. 



143 



United States from the seaboard to the Pacific ocean, and from Canada. 

 Its greatest injury is committed upon roses grown under glass, by the 

 larvae feeding upon the tender rootlets — at first merely checking their 

 growth, but finally, when their numbers have increased, destroying the 

 plant. It has also been observed upon the roots of Geranium and 

 Hibificus, and in California, is reported as " very destructive to Dracmnas 

 (and palms lightly), oranges, cape jessamine \Garde7iia\, and Achy- 

 ranthe'i, in the order named." In Brantford, Canada, it has been found 

 upon Abutilon and Plumbago in hot-houses. From Massachusetts, it is 

 reported upon the Azalea^ " Cissus," and "inch-plant." f 



Transformations of the Insect. 



In the report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1S7S, the insect 

 has been excellently figured in its four stages, and of the first three, 

 scientific description is given. (Fig.35 is from an electrotype obtained from 

 the Department.) From the accompanying account by Prof. Riley, it 



appears that the eggs are 

 laid in clusters of from ten 

 to sixty, arranged in rows, 

 which are artfully secreted 

 between the bark and the 

 trunk of the plant near its 

 base, or occasionally between 

 the ground and the trunk. 

 Upon the hatching of the 

 eggs (f) in about a month, 

 the larvae («) l)urrow and 

 begin their feeding upon the 



Fio. .^i-ARAMUiis FiLLERi HMrn : «, the larva; h, the rOOtletS.' When fuIly grOWU 



papa ; c, the beetle, in side view, and </, a dorsal view, with the , , /7\ 



natural size shown between ; ^-.tlieeg^'S enlarged and in natu- they Change tO pup3e \U) 



ral size ; A left maxilla with palpus ; J'/, under side of head of ... , ^ i • i 



larva; /^"upper side of the sauje. Within the grOUUd f rom whicll 



the perfect insects (c, d) emerge to pair, deposit their eggs for another 

 brood, and to feed upon the leaves. Upon the under side of the 

 foliage and the branches they may be found at rest during the day, as 

 they are nocturnal in their habits, and only leave their concealment 

 after dark for feeding. 



Description of the Beetle. 



The following is the description of the beetle, as given by Dr. Horn, 

 in The Rhynchophora of America, North of Mexico, loc. cit. : 



Form oblong oval, surface not densely clothed with dark brown 

 scales. Head and rostrum longer than the thorax, densely punctured, 



