Insecta. 41 



larvae bore their way into the pea, and eat out to the skin through 

 which the adult easily makes his way when ready to emerge. 



Blister Beetles. A large family of beetles has a blistering substance 

 which is used in making blistering plasters. The "Spanish fly 11 be- 

 longs to this group. One of the most common of our blister beetles is 

 a black fellow abundant on goldenrod flowers. 



Carrion Beetles. These usually have club-shaped antennae. The; 

 are well known, as both the larvae and the adults feed on decaying 

 flesh. Some of these beetles are called "sexton beetles 11 from the fact 

 that they bury small animals. 



The Rove Beetles. These are odd forms, with short wing covers, 

 which hardly conceal half of the abdomen. This is long and flexible, 

 and is often carried turned up as if threatening to sting, which it has no 

 power to do. 4 



The Ladybugs. All children who live in the country know these 

 hemispherical beetles, with their smooth and often brightly colored and 

 spotted backs. Most of them are predaceous, and one of the greatest 

 triumphs of economic entomology was the introduction of a species of 

 ladybug from Australia into California, where it largely checked the 

 ravages of a scale insect, which was making havoc with the fruit trees. 



The Carpet Beetles. Some of these destroy carpets. Others are 

 the greatest pests of museums, destroying the stuffed specimens. The 

 best remedy is bisulphide of carbon, whose fumes are fatal to eggs, 

 larvae, and adults. 



The Click Beetles. Boys know them as "spring beetles, 11 "snap- 

 ping bugs, 11 " skipjacks, 11 etc. Lay one on its back, and soon it gives a 

 spring, with a click, that raises it perhaps several inches. If it lights 

 on its back, it soon tries again. These beetles, like many others, " play 

 possum. 11 Their larvae are " wire worms, 11 and do great damage, eat- 

 ing the roots of corn, grain, grasses, and other plants. One of our 

 largest click beetles, the eyed elater, is gray, and has on the prothorax 

 two large black spots resembling eyes. 



The Snout Beetles. These beetles (the true weevils) are very odd 

 in having the head prolonged into a long beak, sometimes longer than 

 the body. Most of these are known as curculios. They bore a hole 

 with the end of the snout, deposit the egg, and then push the egg to 

 the bottom of the hole with the snout. They destroy many fruits and 

 nuts. 



