383 CLOVER LEAF BEETLE. 



jaws ; /, cocoon : g, meshes of cocoon ; h, j)upa : i. weevil nat- 

 ural size ; /. side view ; k, dorsal view ; I, tarsus and claws of 

 beetle : ni, antenna. 



The Qgg?: are oblong, oval, yellow, 1 m m (1-25 of an inch) 

 long. The larva is yellowish at first, but becomes greenish-yel- 

 low with age. There is a pale rose colored dorsal line. The 

 body is rough, length 14 m m (.05 inch). The pupa is well 

 shown in figure and is greenish with yellow markings. It pu- 

 pates in an oval yellow cocoon of coarse threads. 



The imago is dark brown ; sides of thorax and elytra dull yel- 

 low, with a central yelloM' line on the thorax. There are rows 

 of black raised points along the inner half of the elytra, with 

 similar dashes of muddy yellow towards the tips. The beetle is 

 1 c m (2-5 of an inch) long. 



The female lays her 200 or 300 eggs in the clover stem, which 

 she punctures for that j^urpose, in Augitst. Dr. Riley says the 

 eggs are pushed into crevices at the base of the plants. 



The larva usually drojis when approached, so that only very 

 young ones can be found on the plants. The anus is said to aid 

 in walking, as it emits a sticky substance, and can hold or grasp 

 the stem of the plant. The larva are more active at night, but 

 are very timid even then, and can be observed on the plants only 

 at a distance. The larvte feed upon the clover, and mature in 

 about two months. The pupa state lasts ten days, so that the 

 beetles come forth late in autumn. The cocoon may be formed 

 among the stems of clover or Just beneath the earth. The latter 

 is probably the position where it will generally be found in the 

 field. Some of the weevils may deposit eggs in the fall, while 

 others may remain as imagos and lay eggs the next season. There 

 may be two broods in a year, though Dr. Riley thinks it more 

 likely that there is but one, and that variation in size and time 

 of appearance is caused by retarded or accelerated development ; 

 while the larva does no inconsiderable damage, far the most is 



