200 PROTECTION OF WOODLANDS. 



swarm in May and June, and the ova are deposited in clusters 

 of 10 to 12 on the foliage of young saplings, shoots, and stoles up 

 to a total of 100 to 150. The larvae appear about four weeks later ; 

 after feeding for about four weeks they enter the pupal state, and 

 appear again as beetles at the end of August. 1 



The Aspen Leaf-beetle, Chrysomela (Lina) tremulte, closely 

 resembles L. populi in appearance and habits, but is smaller, 

 being only 0'32 to 0'4 inches in length, and has no black tips at 

 the extremities of the elytra. It is in general somewhat more 

 destructive than that insect, for it attacks the shoots whilst they 

 are still quite young and soft. The larvae and pupse are hardly 

 distinguishable from those of L. populi. 



The common Earth-flea (Haltica oleracea) and the springing Oak- 

 leaf Beetle (Haltica erucse) are both tiny insects of 0*16 to 0*20 

 inches in length, and of a bluish-green colour, with finely punctured 

 elytra. They both do a good deal of damage at times in gardens 

 and nurseries, and can best be got rid of from the beds by sprink- 

 ling these with ashes or lime, or watering them with a weak 

 solution of carbolic acid, or with a decoction of wormwood. 



Cantharides or Mister Beetles (Meloidsi). 

 98. The Cantharis or Spanish Fly, Lytta vesicatoria. 

 e Plate! fig. 12.) 



This beetle is about 0'56 to 0'80 inches in length, of a beautiful 

 emerald-green colour, with long black feelers and black legs, and 

 soft, wrinkled and punctured elytra, having a few slightly prominent 

 longitudinal lines. Swarming during June and July, it lays its 

 yellow, club-shaped eggs about 0'8 inches below the surface of 

 the soil in clusters of 40 to 50. The larvae appearing 3 to 4 weeks 

 later, hairy and of a dark brown colour, quickly scatter in the soil, 

 and appear to feed on humose substances, although recent investiga- 

 tions distinctly suggest their being parasitic, and devouring the 

 ova and larvae of the earth-bee or humble-bee. A very consider- 

 able change in form takes place before the larva enters into the 

 pupal stage. The life-history of this insect has not yet been 



1 According to Taschenberg (Forsturirthschaftliche Insedcnkunde, 1874, p. 199), 

 this insect frequently has a double generation. Trans. 



