THE BEETLES 



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numbers in all its stages on the leaves of aspen; the larvae are somewhat like those 

 of ladybirds, and have the habit of exuding a strong-smelling yellow liquid from 



A 



i. Lamia textor; 2. Female of A.cedilis; 3. Male of Acathocinus czdilis; 4. Saperda carcharias; 5. S. topulnea. 



(All natural size.) 



the mouth and other parts of the body. The Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa 

 decemlineata] is very destructive to the po- 

 tato crops in North America. The Galeru- 

 cince are poorly represented in Great Britain, 

 while of the flea beetles {Halticince) we 

 have a large number of species, of which 

 the best known are the turnip flea {Phyl- 

 lotreta nemorum), and other little jumping 

 beetles which attack cruciferous plants. 

 The larvae of the Haltirince usually mine 

 in the tissues of the leaf underneath the 

 epidermis; in this respect differing from the 

 larvae of most of the other ChrysomelieUe. 

 The Cryptostomata are distinguished by 

 having the front of the head inclined back- 

 ward so that the mouth is almost com- 

 pletely hidden. Two subfamilies are in- 

 cluded in this section. The Hispince are 

 remarkable for the sharp projecting spines 

 with which many of the species are armed, 



Donacia davipes, with larva and pupa case. 

 (Natural size.) 



while the Cassidince. have the characteristic form to which they owe their name of 

 tortoise beetles. In Great Britain, the tortoise beetles are represented by half a 

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