Beetles 
2 75 
A. oblongus , J inch long, wholly black; and A. terminalis, \ inch long, black 
with reddish legs and tips of elytra. The earth-boring dung-beetles, 
Geotrupes, have n-segmented antennas, and the upper lip and mandibles 
can be seen from above. “The females bore holes into the earth either 
beneath dung or near it: this is to serve as food for the larvae, an egg being laid 
in each hole.” G. splendidus (PI. II, Fig. 6), f inch long, dark metallic 
green to purple; G. excrementi , \ inch long, is bronze-black; G. opacus, J inch, 
is deep black. Common on dried decaying animal matter, especially skins, 
and on the hooves and hair of decaying animals are small (J to J inch long) 
rough convex beetles, often with a crest of dirt on their elytra, belonging 
to the genus Trox. They have the thighs of the front legs greatly dilated. 
The Scarabasid leaf-chafers are many and various in color and marking; 
they feed, when adult, on leaves, pollen, and flower-petals. They have the 
abdomen usually projecting beyond the wing-covers. The thick, fat, white, 
horny-headed larvae live either in rotten wood or underground, feeding on 
the roots of grasses and other plants, often doing much damage in this 
way. The June-bugs or May-beetles (Fig. 378), familiar big brown or 
blackish buzzing creatures, belong to the genus 
Lachnosterna, of which sixty or more species are 
found in this country. They are but few, hov;ever, 
on the Pacific coast. The larvae are familiar white 
grubs that live underground and feed. on the roots 
of grasses, strawberries, etc. They often do much 
damage to lawns. They live as larvae 
for two or three years, and pupate in 
an underground cell. The adult 
beetles fly and feed at night, often 
injuring the foliage of cherry, plum, 
and other trees. The familiar rose- 
chafer, Macrodactylus subspinosus 
(Fig. 379), f inch long, a slender 
yellowish beetle with pale red legs, 
Fig. 378—The pine-beetle, Lachnosterna does great damage to roses and grapes, 
■/usca. (One and one-half times natural appearing in ear l y SU mmer and eat- 
Fig. 379.—The rose-beetle, Macrodactylus ing flowers and foliage. The larvse 
subspinosus. (Twice natural size.) live underground, feeding on the roots 
of various plants, but especially grasses. The spotted vine-chafer, Pelidnota 
punctata (PI. II, Fig. 13), 1 inch long, stout, convex, polished reddish or 
yellowish brown, with three large black dots on each elytron, with under 
side of body metallic greenish black, flies during July and August by day, 
feeding on grape-leaves. The larva lives in rotten wood, especially the 
decaying roots of apple, pear, hickory, and other trees. It pupates in a 
Fig. 378. 
Fig. 379. 
