Common Beetles of our Countryside 



pubescence or down which gives it a dull appearance ; 

 the long beak or rostrum in the front of the head 

 proclaims it to belong to the group Rhynchophora, 

 weevils, and the great muscular hind thighs thickened 

 for leaping that it is one of the genus Orchestes. The 

 species is common wherever the beech grows through- 

 out the kingdom. 



Another weevil, but one belonging to the wood- 

 boring section called Scolytidce, we shall most probably 

 dislodge from the clematis if we can beat the older 

 stems into the net. It is a minute cylindrical shining 

 red-brown beetle, 2 to 3 mm. long, which under the 

 glass we can see to be covered with long stiff greyish 

 bristles, the thorax longer than broad, with the corners 

 rounded, the elytra marked with distinct and close 

 punctured striae : its name is Xylocleptes bispinus 

 (the two-spined Xylocleptes), Fig. I, Plate IV., so called 

 because in the male sex the apex of the elytra are 

 hollowed out and furnished on each side with a strong 

 sharp tooth. There is only one British species of this 

 genus and no other common beetle can be beaten 

 out of the Clematis ; nor is it much use attacking 

 the Dogwood or Guelder Rose, which fringes our lane. 

 Further on indeed these disappear and the lane becomes 

 a mere cart track across the shoulder of the Down. 

 By its sides flints of every size lie plentifully strewn 

 among the scented thyme and yellow rock rose, and 

 masses of wild marjoram. Let us turn over some 

 of these and discover what may lie beneath them. 

 Our first beetle is almost sure to be one of the Geode- 



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