30 NEW ZEALAND ENTOMOLOGY. 



in all moist wood when much decayed, the favourite trees 

 being apparently rimu and matai. Its cylindrical larva 

 may be taken in similar situations, and much resembles 

 in general appearance the well-known " wire-worm " of 

 England, whose destructive habits, however, it does not 

 share. At present, whilst bush-clearing is going on, its 

 influence is beneficial, as it devours large quantities of use- 

 less wood, which is thus rapidly broken up and got rid 

 of. The pupa is enclosed in an oval cell, constructed by 

 the larva before changing, from which the perfect insect 

 emerges in due course. When first exuded its colour is 

 pale red, but this rapidly changes into dark brown after 

 the insect has been hardened by exposure to the air. 

 .Specimens are often met with of every intermediate 

 shade, and are rather liable to deceive the beginner, who 

 mistakes them for distinct species. An account of a 

 small Dipterous insect infesting this beetle in its pre- 

 paratory states will be found on page 62. 



Group LONGICORNIA. 

 Family PRIONID^:. 



Prionus reticularis (Plate II., fig. 3, 3b larva, 3a pupa). 



This is the largest species of beetle found in New 

 Zealand, and is common throughout the summer in the 

 neighbourhood of forests. Its larva (Fig. 3b) is a large, 

 fat grub, with minute legs ; it inhabits rimu and matai, 

 logs, often committing great ravages on sound timber 

 although frequently eating that which is decayed ; posts, 

 rails, and the rafters of houses alike suffer from its attacks ; 

 the great holes formed by a full-grown larva of this insect 

 creating rapid destruction in the largest timbers. It may 

 be remarked, in connection with these wood-boring species, 

 that a good thick coat of paint put on the timber as soon 

 as it is exposed, and renewed at frequent intervals, to a 

 great extent prevents their attacks. The pupa (Fig. 3a) 



