ENTOMOLOGY IN OUTLINE COLEOPTER A. 



107 



The family Meloidse are called blister-beetles, because their bodies 

 when dried and pulverized are used therapeutically as blisters. In the 

 adult stage they feed on plant tissue, and are sometimes 

 injurious. In the larval stage many are, however, mark- 

 edly beneficial, such as the larva? of Epicauta vittata, 

 which live on the egg pods of grasshoppers. The life 

 cycle of many species has reached a highly specialized 

 development and their study is exceedingly interesting. 



The Stylopidae is an obscure family, most of its forms 

 being parasites on wasps. 



Suborder RHYNCOPHORA. 



FIG. 101. Striped 

 blister -beetle 

 (Cantharis vit- 

 tata). 



The suborder Rhyncophora, or snout-beetles, consists of beetles 

 characterized by the peculiar prolongation of the front of the head into 

 a beak or snout, at the end of which the 

 mouth parts are situated. The curculios, 

 bill-bugs, and most of the weevils belong 



to this suborder, and are 



great pests, living as they 



do on vegetable matter, 



stored products, and the 



like. 



FIG. 102. Fuller's 

 rose - beetle 

 (Aramigus ful- 

 leri). 



FIG. 103. Plum curculio (Conotrachelus 

 nenuphar), a, larva; b, pupa; c, 

 adult ; d, curculio at work. 



The family Otiorhynehi- 



dse are the beetles which 



have a scar on the front of 



the upper side of each man- 

 dible. Fuller's rose-beetle, a species attacking roses and orange trees, is 

 a familiar type. 



The family Cupeulionidse lack the scar, and are the typical curculios 

 and weevils. The cotton-boll weevil, strawberry weevil, and the plum- 

 curculio are well-known pests belonging to this family. 



The Calandpidae include the bill-bugs and rice and 

 granary weevils. The latter two forms, Calandria oryzea 

 and C. granaria, are world-wide in distribution and do 

 immense damage to stored grain. 



FIG. 104. Pine- The SeolytidsB are the engraver-beetles. According to 

 Pinchot, the annual losses caused by these insects total 

 nearly $100,000,000. The Monterey pines of California 



are attacked by two species, Dendroctonus valens and Tomicus plasto- 



graphus, to such an extent that entire forests have been killed by them. 



Others, such as the fruit-bark beetle, attack and kill peach and plum trees. 



