COLEOPTERa. 
583 
in the form of the body. As with the blister-beetles, the 
hind tarsi are four-jointed, and the fore and middle tarsi 
are five-jointed ; but unlike the members of that family, the 
body and wing-covers are firm, and the head is narrower 
than the prothorax. 
These insects occur chiefly in dry and warm regions. 
Thus while we have comparatively few species in the North¬ 
eastern United States, there are many in the Southwest. 
Most of the species feed on dry vegetable matter, and often 
on that which is partially decomposed; some live in dung, 
some in dead animal matter, others in fungi, and a few 
prey upon larvae. More than four hundred species occur in 
this country. The three following will serve to illustrate 
the variations in form and habits: — 
The Meal-worm, Tenebrio molitor (Te-neb'ri-o mol'i-tor). 
—This is a well-known pest in granaries and mills. The 
larva is a hard, waxy-yellow, cylindrical worm, which meas¬ 
ures when full grown an inch or more in length, and 
closely resembles a wire-worm ; it feeds on flour and 
meal. The beetle is black, and about five eighths 
of an inch in length (Fig. 710). 
The Forked Fungus-beetle, Boletotherus bifur - 
cits (Bol-et-o-the'rus bi-fur'cus), is common in the 
Northeastern United States and in Canada about the large 
toadstools ( Polyporus ) which grow on the sides of trees. 
The surface of the body and wing-covers is very rough, and 
the prothorax bears two prominent horns (Fig. 
711). The larva lives within the fungi referred 
to above. 
The Pinacate-bugs (Pin-ah-cah'te-bugs).—Sev¬ 
eral species of Eleodes (El-e-o'des) are abundant 
on the Pacific coast, where they are found under 
stones and pieces of wood lying on the ground. 
They are apt to congregate in large numbers under a single 
shelter, and are clumsy in their movements. They defend 
themselves when disturbed by elevating the hinder part of 
