BEETLES 215 



into flowers, where they remain until a bee arrives. Then the six-legged larva 

 mounts the bee, and is carried to the nest, where it finds its way to a cell. 

 There it devours the egg laid therein and lives on the food supplied ordinarily 

 to the young bees. After passing through some strange changes of form, it 

 pupates, and finally develops into the perfect insect. 



The female lays some thousands of eggs, but few of which, fortunately, 

 reach maturity. 



Nacerdis melanura (Fig. 159). Long, parallel-sided beetles about | inch 

 in length. Antennae of male twelve joints ; of female eleven. Head and 

 thorax orange, shaded with black ; elytra yellow, with black tips. Lives on 

 flowers ; larvae in decaying wood. Found on seashore and estuaries. 



(Edemera nobilis (Fig. 160). A handsome brilliant green. Legs covered 

 with hair. Thighs of hind-legs (of the male) much thickened. Found on 

 flowers. 



Phaleria cadaverina (Fig. 161). An oval, convex species. Thorax dark 

 brown ; elytra fawn coloured, with a patch of black marbling in the centre 

 of each. Plainly striated. 



Sub-order viii. RHYNCHOPHORA WEEVILS. 



A very large group, containing more than twenty thousand species. Easily 

 identified by the formation of the head, which is drawn out into a beak or 

 trunk, with the mouth at the tip. 



Family : Curculionida. 



Vegetable feeders, most destructive, the larvae being maggots without 

 feet. 



Attelabus curculionides (Fig. i62). Length about J inch. Black head, 

 antennae, and legs ; thorax and elytra chestnut red ; antennas clubbed. Found 

 in oaks. Female lays her eggs in a mass of rolled-up leaves. 



Otiorhynchus tenebricosus (Fig. 1626). About inch long. Black; 

 convex. Antennae distinctly elbowed. Legs have a reddish tinge; feet 

 heavy. Covered with fine long hairs. Found on fruit trees and at roots of 

 grass. 



0. scabrosus (Fig. 163). Black head and thorax ; elytra with a dull 

 red tinge, much striated and roughly pitted ; legs tipped with dull orange. 

 Covered with scanty down. 



0. picipes (Fig. 164). Dull black, thickly covered with down; legs with 

 a reddish tinge. 



0. ligneus (Fig. 165). Black wing-cases slightly ribbed, covered with fine 

 light pubescence. 



Phyllobius calcaratus (Fig. 166). About J- inch long. A beautiful species 

 under the magnifier. Black, but covered with golden green scales or down, 



