40 
that they are found under the bark of trees, where they pass 
the winter, having completed their transformation in the pre¬ 
vious autumn. Dr. Fitch says that the beetles are most abund¬ 
ant during the months of April, May, and June. Their numbers 
then diminish, and only a few are to be found in August but 
months 6 agai “ qmte numerous in September and the following 
In the collections of the office the beetles have been most 
abundant m April Electric-light collections of Melanotus were 
made m May and June; and in November, December and Feb¬ 
ruary, communis has been taken in crevices of decaying; lo«’s 
and under bark in the woods. 8 
Description The larva; vary considerably in size at maturity 
but may be from 20 to 25 mm. long 1 . 
• k They are subcylindrical in form, nearly smooth, shining-, and 
of a light brown color, with the head, thoracic and last seg¬ 
ments considerably darker, and the veneer and margins of the 
segments lighter m color. Body sparsely hairy, and each seg¬ 
ment marked on the sides just dorsad of the spiracles with a 
linear impression. The cephalic border of the segments is slightly 
elevated and rendered distinct from the rest of the segment by 
a wavy dark border. Touching this border on each side of the 
dorsum of the segments, is a large, dark, elliptical, striated 
muscular impression. The caudal segment is much flattened 
has no caudal notch, but ends in a short, blunt, horny tubercle! 
On each side of this tubercle the margin is very obtusely notched 
forming two wave-like projections. The dorsum of the segment 
is much toughened and marked by four linear impressions near 
the cephalic border, and a similar mesal depression on the dor¬ 
sum near the caudal extremity. 
“The change to a pupa takes place during July. The mature 
larva forms an earthen cell similar and probably made in a 
similar manner to the cell of the wheat wireworm. This cell is 
about three fourths of an inch in length and three eighths of 
an inch wide. Soon after the cell is finished the skin of the 
larva opens at the sutures on the top of the head and alono* 
th, j median line on the dorsum of the following three or four 
segments The white and tender pupa then works itself out 
leaving the cast larval skin crowded into one end of the cell! 
1 he 4 -T^ ln i?"P ads ’ i egs ’ and antenn8e of the pupa are folded closely 
on the breast. In other respects it resembles the beetle, but is 
nearly one fourth longer, and the nine segments of the abdomen 
are distinctly visible. It is much larger than the puna of the 
wheat wireworm, and in addition to the long sharp bristle at 
ea< i angle of the thorax it has two similar shorter ones, one 
each side of the mesal linear depression near the caudal border 
or the thorax. 
The change to a beetle takes place in about one month. 
1 he rather slender, glossy, dark brown beetle varies from 11 
mm. to 15 mm. in length, and its body is closely punctured 
