232 



COLEOPTERA 



A 



Fig. 112. — Pria duUaiiiarae. 

 Britain. A, Larva {after 

 Perris) ; B, perfect Insect. 



the genera Meligcthes and Epicraea are among the most abundant 

 of our beetles. Most of what is known as to the larvae is 

 due to Perris ; several have been found living in flowers ; that 

 of Pria haunts the flower of Solanurii dulcamara at the junction 

 of the stamens with the corolla ; the larva of Meligethes aeneus 

 sometimes occasions much loss by prevent- 

 ing the formation of seed in cultivated 

 Cruciferae, such as Eape. These floricolous 

 larvae grow with great rapidity, and then 

 leave the flowers to pupate in the ground. 

 The larva of Nitidula lives in carcases, 

 though it is not very different from that 

 of Pria. The larva of Soronia lives in 

 fermenting sap, and has four hooks curv- 

 ing upwards at the extremity of the body. 

 The curious genus C'l/bocejjhalus consists 

 of some very small, extremely convex Insects that live in flowers 

 in Southern Europe ; they have only four joints to the tarsi. 

 The perfect Insects of the group Ipides are remarkable from 

 having a stridulating organ on the front of the head. The classi- 

 fication of the well-known genus Rhizopliagus has given rise to 

 much discussion ; although now usually placed in ISTitidulidae, 

 we think it undoubtedly belongs to Cucujidae, 



Fam. 29, Trogositidae. — Differs from Nitidulidae in tJie struc- 

 ture of the tarsi ; these affear to Ije four- 

 jointed, with the third joint similar in 

 size and form to the iweceding ; they 

 are, houjcver, really five-jointed, an ex- 

 tremely short hasal joint being present. 

 Hind coxa.e contiguous. The dub of each 

 antenna is bilaterally asymmetric, and 

 the sensitive surface is confined to certain 

 parts of the joints. There are some 400 

 or 500 species of Trogositidae, but nearly 

 all of them are exotic. The larvae (Fig. 

 113, A), are predaceous, destroying other 

 larvae in large numbers, and it is pro- 

 bable that the images do the same. 

 The larva of Tenebroides (better known as Trogosita) riiauritanica 

 is found in corn and flour, and is said to have sometimes been very 



Fig. 113. — Temnochila coerulea. 

 Europe. A, Larva (after 

 Perri;s) ; B, perfect Insect. 



