22 



MISC. PUBLICATION 318, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



Figure 51. — Click 

 beetle. 



Click beetles. — Click beetles are familiar to almost any person who 

 has had anything to do with insects. This little elongated beetle 

 has a body apparently divided into two parts only, 

 the head being rather indistinct. When the insect 

 is placed on its backJt has the ability to flip itself 

 into the air, and, after several attempts, alight 

 on its feet. Click beetles vary considerably in size, 

 from 14 °f an nicn to 2 inches. The larvae are 

 called wireworms. They feed on the roots and in 

 the stems of various plants. Some of these insects 

 complete their life cycle in 1 year, but other 

 kinds may require several years. Control is rather 

 difficult. The insect pictured here belongs to the 

 order Coleoptera; its scientific name is Melanotus 

 communis. 



Locust borer. — Among the beetles are some with very long anten- 

 nae. These are called longhorn beetles. Most members of this group 

 have elongated bodies ranging in length from y 2 

 inch to 2 inches. The adults are rather strong 

 fliers and swift runners. The larvae are borers 

 and live within the woody parts of trees and 

 shrubs or beneath tree bark. The species shown 

 here is the locust borer, Cyllene rohiniae, a black 

 beetle with yellow markings. It is about five- 

 eighths of an inch long. The adults may be found 

 basking in the sun on locust trees during Septem- 

 ber. They feed on the flowers of goldenrod, and 

 the larvae live inside locust trees. These beetles 

 have complete life changes and overwinter in the 

 larval stage in the inner bark, where they have 

 been feeding. They bore deep into the wood dur- 

 ing the following spring and summer and cause 

 serious damage to locust trees, especially those of low vigor. This 

 insect belongs to the order Coleoptera. 



Flatheaded borer. — There is another group of insects that are 

 fairly robust. They have a rather uniform width of body except for 

 the hind third, which tapers somewhat abruptly. 

 Most of these dark-bronze-, brassy-, or coppery- 

 colored beetles are commonly called buprestids. 

 Like all the other Coleoptera, they have chewing 

 mouth parts in both the adult and larval stage. 

 The larvae are wood-boring insects and feed on 

 many kinds of trees. They are decidedly seg- 

 mented, and their broad, flat heads are about 

 twice as wide as the rest of the body. There is 

 usually only one brood each season. Insects of 

 this type have difficulty in establishing them- 

 selves in healthy or vigorous growing trees, but 

 following drought or weakening of the trees from 

 other causes these borers do become established, 

 and control measures are necessary. Clean up and burn all infested 

 trees and branches during April and May. Younger trees may be 

 protected by wrapping with burlap or building paper. The insect 



Figure 52. — Locust 

 borer. 



Figure 53. — Flat- 

 headed apple-tree 

 borer. 



