

Order COLEOPTERA. 



The Coleoptera or beetles are recognized by their hard or leathery wing 

 covers, which are laid over the abdomen so that they meet in a straight line 

 down the back, the hind wings being transversely folded beneath them. , They 

 have mandibulate or chewing mouth-parts and feed on a very great range of 

 substances, animal and vegetable, as well in the larval as the adult stages : 

 hence many of them are seriously injurious while others are markedly beneficial. 

 The larvae vary much in shape ; but never have more than six functional legs 

 and, in the pupal stage, are inactive ; hence the metamorphosis or transforma- 

 tion is complete. 



The characters upon which classification is based are in the number of the 

 joints of the feet and in the shape of the antennse or feelers, the weevils being 

 first separated off by the mouth-parts which are set at the end of a longer or 

 shorter beak or snout. 



A few general suggestions only can be given here as to the manner in which 

 injurious and beneficial insects may be distinguished. 



First, all weevils or snout beetles are plant-feeders and may be or become 

 injurious. 



Second, all beetles that have only four apparent joints to the feet or tarsi, the 

 third joint lobed or split, are to be looked upon with suspicion, for they are 

 likely to be either leaf-beetles, like the potato beetle, or wood-borers of the 

 family Cerambycidce or long-horned beetles. 



Third, beetles with 5-jointed feet or tarsi and the feelers short, with a leaf- 

 like club at the tip, probably belong to the leaf-chafers, like the June-bugs, 

 whose larva; are white grubs. 



Fourth, beetles with 5-jointed feet or tarsi, the feelers long or short with 

 serrated or saw toothed inner edge and the prothorax loosely jointed upon the 

 hinder portions : these are click or snapping-beetles, whose larvae are wire- 

 worms. 



Fifth, beetles with 5-jointed feet or tarsi, the feelers long, slender, the joints 

 similar to each other and not toothed, are probably predatory or beneficial. 



Sixth, beetles in which the antenna; are enlarged toward and at the tip or 

 clubbed, are likely to be scavengers and live upon dead or decaying animal or 

 vegetable matter, fungi and the like ; but this is subject to many exceptions. 



Seventh, beetles in which the hind tarsus or foot is four-jointed while the 

 others have five joints are likely to prove feeders in dead and dying wood or 

 other vegetable tissue ; but this is by no means uniform and many exceptions 

 occur, some groups being beneficial while others are injurious. 



Our collections in this order are much more complete than in any other save 

 the Lepidoptera, for there are many collectors and students in and near the 

 State who have placed their data at my disposal. 



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