BEETLES. 



343 



and adult. 



larva, pupa, 



protection, a part of a plant. The larvas and cocoons of Phytonotnus, of Phytobius, 

 and of a few other genera of weevils are not greatly unlike those of Clonus. C. 

 scrophularice remains in the pupal state only from six to eight days ; it escapes from 

 its chrysalis by cutting a round lid out of one end of the cocoon. 



Anthonomus quadrigibbus is a reddish-brown weevil, from 0.12 to 0.20 of an inch 

 long, having a proboscis in the female longer and in the male shorter than the body ; 

 this species, which is found in the eastern United States, is easily recognized^ by its 

 having two protuberances, one behind the other, near the tijj of each elytron. Its 

 larvae feed in apples, pupation taking place within the fruit. 



The genus lAxus includes rather elongated weevils, in some of which the tips of 

 the elytra are prolonged into a spine. The species 

 are usually covered with a yellow or reddish pollen- 

 like powder, which is easily rubbed off. L. concavus, 

 a common species in parts of the eastern United 

 States, is found upon a kind of dock {Mumex orbio- 

 tilatus) ; its length is 0.6 of an inch, and it has S2:)ine- 

 less elytra. 



Pissodes strobi, the three states of which are 

 sufficiently recognizable from the illustrations, is 



about 0.3 of an inch long, and is dark brown, spotted with white. It 

 inhabits the eastern United States, where its larva attacks the leading 

 shoots of young pines. In Europe five species of Pissodes are known 

 to attack pine. Quite closely related, systematically, to Pissodes, but 

 larger (0.27 to 0.40 of an inch), and dark brown, with a few scattered 

 yellowish dots, is Hylobius pales ; this species is found in the same re- 

 gions as P. strobi, and, like it, attacks pines. 



Phytonmnus punctatus, probably introduced into America from 

 Europe, where its food habits and life history had not been carefully 

 recorded, has become, in parts of New York state, an important 

 It is an oval beetle, about 0.4 of an inch long, with short pro- 

 boscis; its ground color is dark brown; the sides of the elytra, and often the 

 elytral suture, are lighter brown, as are also three longitudinal lines on the smooth 

 thorax. The elytra are punctate in lines. The eggs of this species are oblong, 

 yellow, and are deposited in clusters in the hollow stems or other parts of clover 

 plants. The larvse hatch in about ten days ; they are yellowish white at hatch- 

 ing, but become greenish as they approach full growth. They are legless, but travel 

 upon the stems and leaves of the clover by means of fleshy tubercles upon their 

 ventral side, aided by a gland in the anal region, which secretes a sticky fluid. Many 

 of the larvffi cease feeding during the day-time, remaining concealed near the plants, 

 and all except very young larva3 drojs to the gi-ound when disturbed, so that one 

 cannot readily observe them upon the plants. When ready to pupate, the larva spins 

 a loose cocoon just below the surface of the groimd, or in. rubbish upon the ground. 

 The duration of the pupal state apiparently varies from ten to thirty days, according 

 to climate. 



Lepyrus is similar iij form to Phytonotnus. L. colon, an ashy-gray European 

 species, about 0.45 of an inch long, is found in Hudson's Bay Territory, and is very 

 common on the stunted willows near the summits of the White Mountains in New 

 Hampshire. 



Fig. 384. — fly Zo- 

 Vms pales. 



clover insect. 



