Grubs of Beetles. 



259 



which makes its radiating tunnels between the bark and the 

 tree. Whole forests have been destroyed by this voracious 

 little beetle, the bark having been completely detached, and 

 the tree necessarily killed. The habits of this beetle are 

 well described in the following passage.] 



We have frequently observed a very remarkable instinct 

 in the grubs of a species of beetle (Scotytus destructor, 



Bark mined in rays by beetle-grubs. 



GEOFFROY), which lives under the dead bark of trees. The 

 mother insect, as is usual with beetles, deposits her eggs in 

 a patch or cluster in a chink or hole in the bark ; and when 

 the brood is hatched, they begin feeding on the bark 

 which had formed their cradle. There is, of course, nothing 

 wonderful in their eating the food selected by their mother ; 

 but it appears that, like the caterpillars of the clothes- 

 moth, and the tent insects, they cannot feed except under 



