COLEOPTERA. 



5 8l 



The One-dotted or Five-dotted Tortoise, PJiysonota uni- 

 punctata (Phys-o-no'ta u-ni-punc-ta'ta). — The largest of our 

 bright-colored tortoise-beetles is common in midsummer, 

 feeding on the leaves of wild sunflower. It measures from 

 three eighths to one half inch in length, and is yellow, with 

 the margins whitish. On the prothorax there are five black 

 dots — two close together in front, and three more widely 

 separated behind. Sometimes all but one of these dots are 

 wanting. It was this form that was first described, hence 

 the name unipunctata. We have found the larvae abundant 

 in July on the same plant with the adults. 



Most of our species of tortoise-beetles are of moderate 

 size, measuring about one fourth inch or even 

 less in length. These represent two genera, 

 Cassida (Cas'si-da) and Coptocycla (Cop-toc'y- 

 cla). These genera can be separated by the 

 length of the antennae, which extend beyond 

 the base of the prothorax in the latter (Fig. 708), but do not 

 in the former. 



The Argus-tortoise, Chelymorpha argus (Chel-y-mor'pha 

 ar'gus), is a large brick-red species, which measures from 

 three eighths to seven sixteenths of an inch in length, and 

 has the prothorax and wing-covers marked with many black 

 spots. This species feeds on milkweed (Asclepias). 



Fig. 708. 



Family BRUCHID^: (Bru'chi-dae). 

 The Pea-weevil Family. 



These are small beetles, the larvae of which live in the 



seeds of leguminous plants. The head of the 



adult is prolonged into a broad beak ; and the 



T wing-covers are rather short, so that the tip of 



the abdomen is always exposed (Fig. 709). 



The Pea-weevil, Bruchns pisi (Bru'chus pi'si). — 

 Fig. 709. " Buggy-peas " are well known in most sections 

 of our country ; but just how the " bugs " find their way into 



