Nov. 1886.] 
AND ew 
Be 





ENTOMOLOG ay 
WRIGHT & BATES, 
265 No. Beacon St., Brighton, Mass., 
ASSOCIATE EDITORS. 
Address all communications for this department as above. 
Samia Columbia. 
ROBT. H. WOLCOTT, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH, 


S72. 

Of this rather rare moth, first described by 8 
J. Smith in 1863, (Proc. Boston Society Natu- 
ral History, Vol. LX, p. 348,) I am fortunate 
in possessing three examples, all males. The 
first, taken in 1883, is in very poor condition ; 
the second, obtained by exchange, was collected, 
I believe, around a S. Cecropia in 1885, and the 
third, a fine specimen, fresh from the chrysalis, 
was captured this spring. 
The expanse of wing is, in the first and third, 
four and one-quarter inches, and in the other 
three and seven-eighths inches, the species being 
usually much smaller than Ceeropia, to which it 
bears much resemblance. It differs from that 
species also in being, from the absence of red, of 
amuch darker hue, and in having the red and 
white band which crosses the wings of Cecropia 
represented by a faint, whitish, irregular line. 
For the identification of my specimens I am in- 
debted to Mr. Henry Edwards, who writes that 
they are, without doubt, the above species. 
Of the other species of Attaci found here, C. 
angulifera is very rare, A. luna less so, while S. 
cecropia, A. polyphemus and CU. promethea are very 
common. I was much interested in the observa- 
tions on the deposition of eggs, and on other hab- 
its of Lepidoptera in the last number, and quite 
agree with your correspondent, though the same 
day that I read the article several young larvee of 
M. quinquemaculata were found on the ground 
cherry (physalis), and on several plants, apparent- 
ly not large enough to support one, were three 
or four of the worms. 

Larval Habits of Beetles. 

BY L. E. HOOD. 

It is a very important and interesting part of 
entomological science to study and trace the 
transformations of an insect. 
This is comparatively easy with the Lepidop- 
tera, and most species are known in all their 
changes, but owing to the difficulty of obtaining 
and keeping the majority of the Coleopterous 
Larvee, but little has been done in this order. 
There are four stages in the life of a beetle; 

first, the egg which is deposited in or on the sub- 
stance which will form the food of the larvee, by 
the adult insect. The eggs are small, usually of a 
dark cream color, and slightly oblong and cylin- 
drical, the larvee hatch in a short time and are 
usually voracious feeders, growing fast, and most 
of them molt several times before reaching their 
full size. After reaching their full age, the lar- 
vee form an imperfect cocoon and pass into the 
third state of their existence, and are called pupe. 
As a rule, this change takes place in the au- 
tumn, and by spring the adult or imago breaks 
from the pupal skin and the transformation of 
the beetle is complete. 
The larve vary much in size and shape, as well 
as in habits. The larve of the Cicindelide being 
horrid-looking things, and like the Curabide are 
rapacious and live in the ground; the Scarabwide 
are the true grubs, being large, six-footed, but 
practically motionless, light-colored worms, that 
are very injurious to grain and grass, as they feed 
upon the roots and stems under ground. 
Almost like these in shape, but footless, are the 
larve of the Weevils that infest fruit and nuts. 
Many larvee are found in or upon the food of the 
adult, and the scavenger beetles are found in all 
stages, upon decaying matters; the Si/phidw bury- 
ing dead snakes, birds and small animals in order 
to furnish food for their young. 
Differing in every respect from the last, except 
in being injurious, are the larvee of the Elateride, 
which are long, hard-bodied, brownish, wire-like 
worms. Many are wood borers, and among these 
are the Buprestidw, which as adults resemble the 
Elateridw, but wholly differ in the larval state, 
being large-headed and soft-bodied. Along the 
muddy banks of rivers and ponds will be found 
the larvee of the Dytiseidw, Gyrinide and other 
water-loving beetles. 
The larvee of the Gyrinide, are curious-looking, 
having a pair of breathing tubes on each segment 
of their bodies, which gives them the appearance 
of being water centipedes. 
All the aquatic larvee are armed with strong 
jaws and live on other water insects. 
Other larvee are found under stones, in fungus, 
on flowers and the foliage of trees, everywhere, 
even as parasites, and in the nests of ants, and in 
our own natural history collections. 
I fully realize how difficult it is to find and 
keep Coleopterous larve, yet I would urge the 
young entomologist to devote some time to this 
study, and though you may not be successful at 
first, patience and care will enable you to do 
much good, and in the end your trouble will be 
well repaid. 
