560 the study of insects. 
fleshy grubs, with well-developed legs (Fig. 678). The 
caudal segments of the abdomen are very 
large, and appear black on account of the 
large amount of dirt in the intestine. The 
body is strongly curved, so that the larvae 
can crawl only with great difficulty; when 
_ in the ground they usually lie on their 
backs. 
The following groups include the more important repre¬ 
sentatives of this division :— 
I. The May-beetles or June-bugs .— During the warm 
evenings of May and June we throw open our windows so 
that we may feel the refreshing coolness of the night air 
and the inspiration of the new summer. Suddenly, as we 
sit working or reading, our peace is disturbed by a buzzing 
object which whirls above us. Then comes a sharp thud 
and silence. A little later the scratching of six pairs of 
tiny claws tells us the whereabouts of the intruder. But so 
familiar are we with his kind that we need not look to know 
how he appears, the mahogany-brown blunderer, with 
yellowish wings sticking out untidily from under his 
polished wing-covers. 
Although these insects are beetles, and attract our atten¬ 
tion each year in May, they have received the infelicitous 
title of June-bugs. They are more properly termed May- 
beetles. 
The May-beetles belong to the genus Lachnosterna 
(Lach-no-ster'na), of which we have more 
than sixty species. The adults frequently do 
much injury by eating the foliage of trees. 
In the case of large trees this injury usually 
passes unnoticed ; but small trees are often 
completely defoliated by them. When trouble¬ 
some, they can be easily gathered by shaking 
them from trees upon sheets. Figure 679 
r & ^ Fig. 679. 
represents a common species. 
