SOME INSECTS OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE. 313 



pupa wriggles itself to the surface of the soil when the 

 adult is about to emerge. When emergence takes place 

 the pupal husk is left sticking out of the ground. Books, 

 gulls, starlings, lapwings, etc., feed largely on the larvae 

 in the soil. 



Since the Crane fly is an important agricultural pest and 

 the relation between it and the leather- jacket is not clearly 

 understood in many parts of the country, rural teachers 

 may profitably utilise it for demonstrating the life-history. 

 The larvae should be obtained in the spring. They may 

 be kept in soil in a box. Corn should be sown in the box 

 and the effects of the larvae noted. When the pupae 

 appear above ground a cover should be placed on the top 

 so that the adults may not escape. 



Click Beetles and Wireworms. 



These beetles are so termed because of the habit they 

 have of throwing themselves into the air with a clicking 

 sound when laid upon their backs. If one of these beetles 

 is examined on the under side of the body, just behind 

 the first pair of legs a pair of spines 

 may be seen, fitting into a groove in front 

 of the second pair. If laid on its back 

 the beetle will bend the body so as to 

 withdraw the spines, and then suddenly 

 jerk them back so that the upraised part 

 of the back strikes the ground and the 

 beetle rebounds into the air. When it 

 alights, it does so on its feet. 



Amongst these beetles there are several 

 of economic importance, the best known 

 of which is the striped click beetle Fig. IGS. Click 

 (Agriotes lineatus). This insect has a magnmedifthnes! 

 length of about f of an inch and a 

 breadth of about Jth. It is brownish in colour, and its 

 wing cases have longitudinal parallel lines. It is widely 

 distributed under stones, amongst pasturage, and on vege- 

 tation generally. They lie in concealed places during 



