200 NATURE-STUDY 



flying insect, often found in great swarms in early summer. 

 It has a short, fat body. The abdomen is covered with 

 two stiff, hard, concave wing cases, which are really modi- 

 fied wings, the first pair. They serve not so much for flight 

 as for protection in general, and to cover the delicate under- 

 wings. The hind pair of wings are tucked away under the 

 wing cases, and are folded first lengthwise and then crosswise. 



FIG. 61. Cecropia-moth Just Out of Cocoon. 



It is the outer pair of hard wings that gives this order the name 

 Coleoptera. 



Beetles have mouths much like those of locusts, and the 

 mandibles (jaws) are especially strong and large. They 

 feed on a great variety of food. Some are carnivorous, and 

 some eat various parts of plants. 



The young stage of the beetle is called the grub. That of 

 the June-beetle is known as the Common Grub-worm. It is 

 the fat, white, fleshy larva, the kind used for fishing, found in 



