188 OTUKli ilEMBEKiS ol' Till': CLASS — INSECTA 



The ])luin curculio is a, small vmvj^h bcftlc with a long 

 snout, that lays its ('i^-Ks IjiMicalli (lie skin oi' plums, peaches, 

 prunes, ete. The lai'va, or " i-^iiil>," ])iii-i'n\vs into tlie fruit 



and li\'es there for about 

 diK.' month, causing 

 " w'di'my " iilunis and 

 jiearhcs. It Hnally en- 

 ters (he ground to jju- 

 pate, antl after aljout 

 h\'e or six weeks the 

 adult beetle comes forth. 

 Tile Mexican cotton 

 f)oll weevil is a small 

 snout beetle that is ex- 

 ceedingly injurious to 

 cotton (Fig. 134). It 

 came into the United 

 States from Mexico and 

 is gradually sjireailing 

 over the cotton ])elt. 

 The young larva eats the 

 tender inside portions of the siinares or l>olls and so destroys 

 them. 



Other cxam))les of lieetles are l!ie cai'pet l)eetles, l.ilister 

 beetles, ladyl)ird beetles, etc, Mau>' beetles are injurious 

 to trees, fruits, grains, and \-egel;ibles. 



Bees, wasps, and ants. - Tliese aic I'lmiiliar insects and 

 constitute the oi'der, Iliiiiictinjilcni (Meml)i'aii(> winged). 

 They Juive lira pair^ nf lliiii iiiciiiln'ii no)i.\ n-imis irilli fcii' or no 

 cross veins. Their iiioiilh jiaiis arc farii/ed for liiliiuj and 

 suckimj and Ihe nKiiniinrphosis is cniiiplcle. The bodies of 

 the feiiKiles usiudli/ possess n s/iini, piereei\ or sow. 



I'lo. 132. — I'uur Cdiniiuili lirril 



