THE GRASSHOPPER 



are known as "blister beetles" because they have a sub- 

 stance in their blood, called cantharidin, famous for its 

 blistering properties and formerly much used in medicine. 

 The female blister beetles of several species lay their eggs 

 in the ground in regions frequented by grasshoppers, where 

 the young on hatching can find the egg-pods of the latter. 

 The little beetles (Fig. 12) hatch in a form quite different 

 from that of their parents and are known as triungulins 

 because of two spines beside the single claw on each of 

 their feet, which gives the foot a three-clawed appearance. 

 Though the young scapegrace of a beetle is a housebreaker 

 and a thief, his story, like that of too many criminals, 

 unfortunately, makes interesting read- 

 ing, and the following account is taken, 

 with a few omissions, from the history 

 of Epicauta vittata as given by Dr. 

 C. V. Riley: 



From July till the middle of October the 

 eggs are being laid in the ground in loose, irreg- 

 ular masses of about 130 on an average — the 

 temale excavating a hole tor the purpose, and 

 afterwards covering up the mass by scratching 

 with her feet. She lays at several different 

 intervals, producing in the aggregate probably 

 from four to five hundred ova. She prefers for 

 purposes of oviposition the very same warm 

 sunny locations chosen by the locusts, and 

 doubtless instinctively places her eggs near 

 those of these last, as I have on several occa- 

 sions found them in close proximity. In the 

 course of about 10 days — more or less, accord- 

 ing to the temperature of the ground — the 

 first larva or triungulin hatches. These little 

 triungulins (Fig. 12), at first feeble and per- 

 fectly white, soon assume their natural light-brown color and commence 

 to move about. At night, or during cold or wet weather, all those 

 of a batch huddle together with little motion, but when warmed by 

 the sun they become very active, running with their long legs over the 

 ground, and prying with their large heads and strong jaws into every 

 crease and crevice in the soil, into which, in due time, they burrow 



U3l 



Fir.. 12. The first- 

 stage larva, or "triun- 

 gulin," of the striped 

 blister beetle (fig. II 

 B). Enlarged 12 times. 

 (From Riley) 



