CHECKERED-BEETLES. 



65 



not most of them, are beautifully marked with strongly con- 

 trasting colors, for which reason Prof. Comstock calls them 

 "Checkered Beetles" in his valuable book entitled "Manual for 

 the Study of Insects." Some are decidedly ant-like, the pro- 

 thorax in this case being narrower than the wing-covers, and 

 slightly narrower than the head. These insects have rather long 

 legs, the antennse are almost knob-like ; their bodies are more or 

 less cylindrical, with a firm texture. Many species are quite 

 hairy, others almost smooth. 



The larvse are usually carnivorous, and are most frequently 

 found in the burrows of wood-boring insects, chiefly in those 

 that live in sap-wood ; others are found in the nests of bees, and 

 still others feed on dead animal matter. The slender larvae 

 possess short legs and a somewhat prominent and pointed head. 

 They are extremely useful in keeping in check such destructive 



Fig. 

 Riley. 



74. — Trichodes apivorus. Germ.; a, larva; b, pupa. All enlarged. Aftci 



beetles as bark-beetles and other borers, and for this reason de- 

 serve our consideration. Another species of these beetles is 

 shown in Fig. 74 ; it is an insect that can not be called beneficial, 

 as it is found as larva in nests of bees, where it feeds upon their 

 young, upon honey, and stored pollen. It is not very common in 

 Minnesota, and is easily recognized by the brilliant red-banded 

 wing-covers. 



Some of these beetles are exceedingly numerous in the pine 

 regions of our state, where they do much good by eating the 

 numerous bark-insects so destructive to eversrreen trees. 



