BRITISH INSECTS 



various sizes, all congregated on the slopes of that fine 

 grassy headland. Many were in the act of mating, 

 but why such a large number happened to meet in such 

 a confined area I have never been able to understand. 

 Was it a regular meeting-place of the clans ? This 

 is a parasite when in the larval state, as it feeds upon 

 the eggs, young, or stored-up food of other insects. 

 Before it reaches the pupal state it undergoes several 

 changes of form, but the adult may always be known by 

 its dull black body, and the female in particular by the 

 length of her clearly ringed abdomen, and very short 

 elytra. When handled, it exudes a caustic secretion 

 for protective purposes, and this, when extracted, is 

 used medicinally as cantharidine. The eggs of at least 

 one species of Meloe Beetle are laid in the ground, and 

 the larva crawls into the heart of a wayside flower and 

 contrives to attach itself to a bee's body when the latter 

 is pursuing its sweet pillage. As a result, it is carried 

 to the bee's home where, becoming detached after its 

 exhilarating joy-ride, it slips into one of the cells, and 

 soon consumes the egg, or grub, of the rightful owner, 

 and gobbles up the food placed there for the bee's own 

 young ! It then pupates, and eventually crawls forth 

 as the creature known by sight to almost every country- 

 dweller who has eyes to see. The Oil Beetle belongs 

 to the Family Meloidce. 



The Ciirculionidce, or Weevils, are a very large family 

 of vegetarians, and from these we may select the Apple 

 Blossom Weevil {Anthonomus pomorufn), and Nut Weevil 

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