560 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



Fig. 678. 



fleshy grubs, with well-developed legs (Fig. 678). The 

 caudal segments of the abdomen are very 

 large, and appear black on account of the 

 large amount of dirt in the intestine. The 

 body is strongly curved, so that the larvae 

 can crawl only with great difficulty; when 

 in the ground they usually lie on their 

 backs. 



The following groups include the more important repre- 

 sentatives of this division : — 



I. The May-beetles or June-bugs. — During the warm 

 evenings of May and June we throw open our windows so 

 that we may feel the refreshing coolness of the night air 

 and the inspiration of the new summer. Suddenly, as we 

 sit working or reading, our peace is disturbed by a buzzing 

 object which whirls above us. Then comes a sharp thud 

 and silence. A little later the scratching of six pairs of 

 tiny claws tells us the whereabouts of the intruder. But so 

 familiar are we with his kind that we need not look to know 

 how he appears, the mahogany-brown blunderer, with 

 yellowish wings sticking out untidily- from under his 

 polished wing-covers. 



Although these insects are beetles, and attract our atten- 

 tion each year in May, they have received the infelicitous 

 title of June-bugs. They are more properly termed May- 

 beetles. 



The May-beetles belong to the genus 

 (Lach-no-ster'na), of which we have more 

 than sixty species. The adults frequently do 

 much injury by eating the foliage of trees. 

 In the case of large trees this injury usually 

 passes unnoticed ; but small trees are often 

 completely defoliated by them. When trouble- 

 some, they can be easily gathered by shaking 

 them from trees upon sheets. Figure 679 

 represents a common species. 



Lachnosterna 



Fig. 679. 



