470 



MY GARDEN. 



for the horticulturist to sow his seeds at a period of the year when vege- 

 tation is active. I have not myself watched these creatures minutely. 



The Rove Beetles are very numerous, but are extremely repulsive 

 to most persons, and are also excessively ferocious. They are, however, 

 good friends to the gardener, as they devour earwigs and other 

 creatures. The one figured'is the Staphylinus {Ocypus) olens (fig. 1039), 

 which is commonly called the Devil's Coach-horse. Curtis says that the 

 larvje (No. i) are as ferocious as the beetle (No. 2), and feed entirely 

 upon animal substances. There are no less than seven hundred British 

 species ; but the gardener who is thoroughly in earnest in mastering 

 horticulture cannot afford the time necessary to make himself specially 

 acquainted with each kind of beetle. 



Fig. 1039. — Devil's Coach-horse ; i, larva ; 2, beetle ; 

 3, head magniiied. 



Fig. 1040. — Lady-bird. 



One of the benevolent beetles which do us much service is that 

 called the Lady-bird (fig. 1040) or the Bite a la Vierge {Coccinellida). 

 There are many species of them ; some having from two to twenty-two 

 spots on their wing-cases. Both larvae (No. i) and winged beetles (Nos. 2 

 and 3) live upon aphides, and devour vast quantities of them. In seasons 

 when the lady-birds increase in greater ratio than the aphides, as was 

 the case in 1869, they devour all before them, and then migrate in vast 

 armies to other parts. This is the origin of those great visitations of 

 lady-birds which periodically occur. Whenever we meet with a lady-bird 

 we place it in one of our glass-houses, and consider it a highly valuable 

 ally ; the rapidity with which it can clear plants of aphides is truly 

 remarkable. Lady-birds in early spring are much prized by me. 



The water in my garden contains a great many Water Beetles. 



