36 



MAY-BUG. HETEROMERANS. 



Fig. 29. 



HORNED BEETLE. 



lamella, a little thin plate, and cornu, horn) 

 may-bugs Melolontha, dung-beetles Co- 

 pris (from the Greek, kopros, dung), beetles 

 Scarabeus, and many other coleop'terous 

 Pentame'rans which have the antennae termi- 

 nated by a packet of lamellae arranged like a 

 fan or the leaves of a book (fg. 29). They 

 all have wings, and walk slowly ; their body 

 is oval, and their larva? are very injurious to 

 agriculture from their eating the roots of 

 plants. 



22. The larva of the common May-bug or May-chaffer 



(Melolontha vulgaris), which belongs 

 to the tribe of Cut-worms, is one of 

 the most destructive (Jig. 30). It lives 

 three or four years without undergoing 

 metamorphosis, and during the whole 

 time remains more or less profoundly 

 buried in the earth ; in winter it falls 

 into a kind of lethargy and takes no 

 food. This insect finishes its meta- 

 morphosis about the month of Febru- 

 ary ; but it is then very soft, and does 

 not reach the surface of the ground 

 till towards March or April, and leaves 



it about the beginning of May. In the perfect state, May-bugs 

 feed on leaves, and they are sometimes so numerous as to strip a 

 forest in a short time. During the day they commonly remain 

 at rest, but fly at night ; their flight is heavy and noisy, and their 

 course is directed > so badly that they strike against every thing 

 that comes in their way. 



The species of beetle or scarabeus, so frequently represented 

 by the Egyptians, either on their monuments or sculptured stones, 

 which seems to have been used by them as a hieroglyphic, an 

 amulet, and even as an object of religious worship, is of the 

 family of Lame'llicornes, and belongs to the genus Ateuchus. 



COLEOP'TEROUS HETEROME'RANS. 



23. The section of Coleop'terous Heterome'rans also embraces 

 very interesting insects, not on account of the ravages they cause, 

 but on account of their great utility in medicine. We refer 

 especially to the Cantha rides. These little insects contain a 

 peculiar irritating matter, which, when applied to the skin, has 



Fig. 30. 



LARVA OF MAY-BUG. 



22. What are the habits of the larvae of the May-bug ? 



23. What are Spanish flies ? 



