40 



The egg is deposited by the female in some favourable spot in the ground, where the 

 larva, when born, will be able to secure food. The egg is hatched, and the larva comes 

 forth a truly hideous-looking grub. (Fig. 21.) Compared with the rest of 

 his body, his head is enormous, of a brownish colour, horny, and surmounted 

 by two tremendous, curved jaws. This creature has three pairs of legs, and 

 Fig. 21. ninth segment or ring of its body are two large tubercles, each ter- 



minating in a pair of recurved hooks, and of a yellowish white colour. The larva is very 

 voracious, and devours great numbers of insects, which it entraps in a very artful man- 

 ner. It digs a hole in diameter about as large as a lead pencil, and said to be a foot or 

 more in depth. To do this it hoists itself round, loads its broad head with as much dirt 

 as it can carry, and deposits it around the mouth of the hole, forming a species of pit-fall, 

 •which sets itself in motion the moment anything endeavours to pass it. The grub clam- 

 bers up near the top of this hole by means of the spines on his back together with his 

 legs, and lies in wait for its victims. As soon as an unsuspecting insect ventures within 

 reach, it is suddenly seized in the powerful jaws of our larva and carried underground, 

 there to be devoured at leisure. It is diffiult to watch these proceedings, because these 

 creatures are very mistrustful, and retire into their holes when alarmed. When the time 

 arrives for the next step in its metamorphosis, the larva enlarges the bottom of the hole, 

 stops up the entrance with earthy and awaits the change. It remains in the pupa state 

 underground all winter, and emerges in the spring as the imago or perfect insect. 



In this last or adult state, this insect is as ferocious as was the larva. It lives by 

 continual warfare, subsisting on the bodies of weaker insects, of which it destroys great 

 numbers. Their remarkable activity in running and their powerful jaws enable them to 

 secure abundance of food; and thus they rid man of many insects which are, no doubt, 

 very injurious to him, and as they are not known to injure anything that is of any advan- 

 tage to us in any way, we feel no hesitation in including them among our Insect Friends, 

 and bespeak for them the consideration of those disposed to kill them. Their bite is in- 

 offensive, and not painful. 



Carnivorous Ground Beetles. 



Order, Coleptera ; Family, Carahidce. 



The members of this family are not so nearly alike in appearances and habits as are 

 those in the Cicindela family, therefore we will describe the characters of a few of the 

 more common in detail, and mention their claims to the care and protection of all inter- 

 ested in the various branches of agriculture. 



One of the most common species of this large family is Calosoma calidum, Fabr, (Fig. 



22), which is commonly called the Fiery Ground Beetle, or the glow- 

 ing Calosoma, owing to the presence on its wing-covers of six rows of 

 spots of a glistening coppery colour. This beetleis very common in 

 Canada, especially in the spring — May and June — when it may be 

 found in the moist soil under stones and logs, which it prefers to hot 

 and dry places. Its general colour is shining black, relieved by the 

 six rows of copper coloured spots previously mentioned ; it has three 

 pairs of long and strong legs ; and its eyes are large and very pro- 

 minent, and enable the beetle to see its prey at a long distance. Its 

 jaws are large and powerful. 



This calosoma is a relentless enemy of other insects in two of its 

 stages, for we find that both in its grub or larval state, as well as in its 

 perfected state, it destroys great numbers of insect pests. The larva is, 

 when full grown, a fat grub, slightly longer than the perfect insect, tapers gradually from the 

 middle to each extremity, and is armed behind with two curved spines. 



From Mr. Riley's First Heport (Noxious, Beneficial and other Insects of the State of 

 Missouri.) we learn that " this larva has very appropriately been called the cut-worm lion by 



