51 



COLEOPTERA. 



Of beetles feeding upon the willow we find the number of species to be but little 

 less than those of the Lepidoptera ; or more than half a hundred kinds which subsist at 

 times upon the foliage or wood of these plants. Of these beetles more than two-thirds, 

 belong to the Chrysomelidse and Curculionidae, and these families include all the more 

 destructive species. 



Of Buprestidas, beetles of the same family as Dicerca divaricata (Fig. 30), we find 

 mention made of Buprestis Jasciata, Fab., a beautiful insect of a bright green, with yellow- 

 markings upon the elytra. It is not a common beetle in this locality. I find very commonly 

 during the summer upon foliage, three species of Agrilus, slender insects not exceeding- 



Fig. 31. 



half an inch in length (see Fig. 31, Agrilus rujicollis, the raspberry borer), the larva? of' 

 which bore under the bark of stems and branches. I have also found both upon the 

 willow and poplar Poecilonota cyanipes, Say, which is one of our rarest Buprestids. 



Among the Scarabasidae (the family to which the May-bugs belong) there are but 

 few species to mention. The most common of these are Hoplia trifasciata, Say, and 

 Serica sericea, 111., both about one-third of an inch long, the former nearly black, or 

 brownish with bands of golden pubescence, the latter a rich purplish or plum colour. 



Cotalpa lanigera, Linn, is a much larger beetle (Fig. 32) being nearly an inch long, 

 It is of a broad oval form, and of a rich yellow or golden hue above, and coppery 



Fig. 32. 



Fig. 33. 



beneath. The lower surface bears a thick coat of fine whitish hair, from which charac - 

 teristic it has derived its specific name, lanigera, or wool-bearer. It is found throughout 

 a large part of Canada (although not occurring at Ottawa), and appears in May and; 

 June, the beetles hiding during the day and feeding at night upon various kinds of trees^ 

 The eggs are laid in the ground and the larvae (Fig. 33), like those of many Scarabaeidse 

 feed upon the roots of plants. 



Lucanus dama, Thunb., which belongs to the closely allied family Lucanida}, or Stag 

 beetles is a large, smooth, brown beetle found in various parts of Ontario, the males 

 of which have very long curved mandibles. The larvae (Fig. 34) resemble in general 

 appearance the " white grubs " of the May -beetles, and live in the trunks and roots of 

 trees that have been injured or have commenced to decay. 



