July, 18 
ae 
Do Beetles Emigrate. 
BY L. E. HOOD. 
Several times during my experience as a col- 
lector, I have noticed certain species of beetles 
flying under circumstances that led me to believe 
they emigrate for the purpose of improving their 
condition, their former locality proving inade- 
quate for their maintenance; this emigration 
being often voluntary, but sometimes compulsory 
owing to continued drought, floods or fires, thus 
depriving them of the necessities of existence. 
In the limited space at my disposal I cannot 
enter this question as I wish, but will briefly state 
the reasons for my idea. 
On the 28th of last June, I was in Malden, 
Mass., and as I came to the end of Summer street, 
where it branches up into the woody hills, I saw 
a large number of Cicindela 6-guttata flying be- 
fore me, the ground was fairly alive with them 
where they were evidently resting, for, while I 
was getting my net ready for what I hoped would 
be a rich harvest, a wagon was driven past and I 
saw the last of them as they flew off over the 
trees, every beetle heading one way. 
After my astonishment was over I found a few 
scattered about, but I doubt if they belonged to 
the flock that had disappeared. 
I returned to Malden the next day, but found 
only a few, and, upon going into the woods to a 
former good locality for this species, I found the 
place submerged by water from the overflow of a 
brook, and the question came to me, did the 
specimens of the day before come from this local- 
ity, if so, where were they bound and why did 
they go together as if guided by some one who 
knew a place suitable to live in? 
While in Connecticut some years ago, I saw 
one day, near the Thames River, a number of 
asparagus beetles flying in an easterly direction. 
A friend who owned a farm near by told me he 
saw them rise from his bed of asparagus, which 
had become badly wilted. 
It would appear that, becoming disgusted with 
the meanness of their food, they had started in a 
body for more congenial grounds. 
Mr. A. E. Hill, formerly of Springfield, Mass., 
was with me one day when we noticed a score of 
water beetles fly from a brook fast drying up, and 
settle on a fresh pond not far away, where they 
were sure of plenty of water. 
Take note that these were not chance flyings, 
but that the beetles were in compact bodies, all 
flying in a certain direction as if knowing exactly 
where they were going. Is it instinct, or do they 
send out scouts to find and guide them to a pro- 
AND OOL 
fet 
Gist: 
per place? It would seem from the regular 
course they take that they have leaders, and I 
could relate a number of cases among other orders, 
but will only note one or two instances of beetles 
here. 
The next case is one of compulsion and shows 
how keen they are sometimes, when great, danger 
is upon them. 
A fire started one evening in a meadow where 
the flames found plenty to feed upon in the dry 
grass and weeds scorched by the hot sun, The 
fire burned quite fiercely, and for a time scores 
of Lamprids flew about in great confusion, Sud- 
denly, as if directed by command, they started 
off, and crossing a brook that would stay the 
flames effectually, began to sport about as before. 
This was in Preston, and several saw the flight 
of the fireflies. 
Once only have I noticed a large flight of 
Melolonthas, though I have often read of such. 
The one I saw was in Illinois in 1874; there was 
a host of them and their flight was followed by a 
severe storm. People thought this the cause of 
migration, but it is very doubtful to me, yet it is 
as good a reason as any I can advance. 
Some seven or eight years ago, I found over a 
hundred Cusnonia Pennsylvanicus under a stone 
in an orchard in Preston, and while this does not 
bear on the present subject it is an interesting 
note, because they were the only ones to be found 
in the orchard, a thorough search proving this. I 
bottled up seventy-five specimens which lasted 
me several years for exchanges. 
It is well known that a species common one 
year may be very rare the next, and often a be- 
ginner makes a mistake by failing to collect them, 
thinking he will be able to get all he wants at 
any time, so losing a good species for exchange. 
Why are these insects so common one year and 
rare the next? The reasons may be many—a 
mild winter, conditions of the soil, the food of 
the species, and destruction by insect eating birds 
have much to do with this; but do not these same 
causes invite emigration, or is not the massing of 
a species in a certain locality the result of such 
migration? 
To me this is a reasonable solution of the ques- 
tion. A severe winter may destroy the food of 
the beetles, or a flood, forest fire or some other 
natural cause may compel them to seek a more 
suitable habitation. Probably they are few in 
number at first but may gradually augment in 
force until quite a host settle at last upon some 
likely place, and the young entomologist notes 
the occurrence of such and such a species but 
never dreams of the true history of the why and 
the wherefore. 
