TYPICAL INSECTS 201 



manure piles or rich soil. This caterpillar-like larva, with a 

 hard head and chewing mouth-parts, a soft, segmented body, 

 with feet like a caterpillar, -but no prolegs, lives on delicate 

 roots of plants or on decaying organic matter. 



Most beetle-grubs pass into pupae, the quiescent stage, 

 which is a sort of chrysalis in which the wings are in sep- 

 arate pouches and the legs are free. The June-beetle spins 

 no cocoon, but hollows a cavity in the ground, which it lines 

 with an excretion that makes a kind of shell around it. In the 

 spring and early summer the insects emerge from their pupal 



FIG. 62. Caterpillar Beginning to Spin Cocoon, and Finished Cocoon. 



A. Old Caterpillar Coat. B. Chrysalis. 



cases in adult form. They often come in such numbers that 

 they do considerable harm to the foliage of trees. The grubs 

 also of certain kinds of June-beetles do harm in the gardens, 

 by eating the roots of plants. In the daytime the June- 

 beetles hide, sometimes in the foliage of trees, and they come 

 out at night, flying about in a blundering way seeking for 

 their mates. 



Beetles are well adapted for living under various conditions. 

 There are many varied forms, and they number about 100,000 

 species. Their stout mouth-parts adapt them to all sorts of 

 food. Many are quite injurious. Meal-worms (beetle 

 larvae) spoil flour and grain. Potato-beetles destroy the 

 foliage of potatoes. Cucumber beetles eat squash, melon, 

 and cucumber vines. Rose-chafers destroy our roses. Wood 



