The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-07-05
BEETLES.

| This class oc insects which naturalists
term co!eoptera, and in common parlance
are known by the name of beetles, seem to
have been studied with moro interest and
care than most other chronological species
spread over the globe.
The individual species of scaraJei may
be divided into seven principal classes; of
which the first, that of the cetoniida, COM
prchends series of beautiful insects, which
subsist on the juices of flowers. The gold
en- beetle is one of the most charming; the
country people call it the king of the bee
ties. 1t is of a golden green, with white
spots; when it flies in the sun, scarcely
raising the elytra, its whole body sparkles
like polished metal. During the summer
months, it lives in gardens, always ehoos-
ing the most brilliantly colored flowers on
which to rest; it penetrates to the heart of
the roses and peonies, or settles on the
petals of the honeysuckle, which it eats,
sucking the honeyed liquid. 1t is perfect
ly inoffensive, does no harm to vegetation,
and has not the unpleasant smell which be-
longs to many of the tribe. The females
lay their eggs at the foot of trees among
decayed wood, or even in the nests of ants.
Here the young larvae find their nourish-
ment in woody morsels for three years, and
then construct their cocoons, from which,
in due time, tho beetle energies. One
beautiful kind, found in the PHILIPPINE Is
lands, is SO much admired by the ladies
that they are kept as pets in small bamboo
cages. The Brazilian species are of an
immense size, and may be seen resting
under the leaves on the maize plantations
or flying round the tops of the tallest trees.
These, again, are surpassed in size by the
Goliath, which is peculiar to tropical Afri-
ca. Collectors have been so anxious for
specimens, and found them so difficult to
obtain, that as much as fifty pounds has
been given for one of these insects, which
are the common food of the natives, when
roasted.
The sacred beetle of the Egyptians be-
longs to the eoprin9;; its singular instincts
had, without doubt, much astonished them,
for it is found on the most ancient monu-
ments in the land of the Pharoahs, depict
ed on amulets, placed on sarcophagi, and
treated with the greatest generation by the
jewellers on the banks of the Nile. They
were an agricultural people, and valued
these great black insects for their habit of
clearing away noxious substances. An
oily substance which they secrete keeps
their skins bright and glossy, so that none
of the dirty matter among which they live
can adhere to them. The fore feet are
armed with spines, whilst the hind ones
are much longer and suited for the work they
have to perform. The care which the
female takes for the preservation of its
eggs and the development of its Larvae is
very curious. Instead of simply hiding
them, like other beetles, in lump of mud
or some little cavity where the egg is laid,
she surrounds it with manure, and rolls it
up into little ball with her hind legs;
soon it is a solid, we'll kneaded mass, with
the egg in the center. Already choice
has been made of suitable place where
the Larvae, when Matched, can find living.
Towards this point she sets out, rolling
the ball before her; meeting with some
places the lump on her broad head, and
thus carries it over. But should it prove
insurmountable, she flies off to seek other
aid, and soon returns with five or six 9TH
ers, who assist her by pushing on all sides,
and thus carry the precious burden to its
destination Then the hole must be dug
in which to deposit 1.-THE fore legs now
come into play, being especially formed
for spades,-and when it is deep enough,
the ball is rolled in, the hind legs brush
down the earth, and every trace of the
hole disappears under the parents indie
fagitable labor.
Among the class of the melolonttidg, the
common cockehafer may be regarded as
the type Of the whole, and very redoubt-
able enemy it can prove itself to be. In
some years, it appears during the month
of April in prodigious numbers; its life
lasts until June; and during all this time
it is preying on the leaves of various trees,
tho maple, poplar, birch and oak. But
it shows a marked preference for the elm,
so that in France the peasants call the |
Towering and fruit buds "cockchafer' |
bread" 1t is not uncommon to see whole
forests on the Continent entirely bare of
leaves i'll the spring months, having been
eaten up by these insects. But this is a
slight evil compared with what they have
already effected underground, by living on
the roots of cereals. The various meta
morphoscs of the insect in its underground |
life Lasts for three years, during all which |
time it displays wonderful voracity.-
When the females are ready to lay their
eggs they choose light, we'll cultivated |
soil, and, buryinS themselves in it, perform |
their task. There are generally about forty |
young ones, which burst the shell in thirty |
days. Nature has armed them with power
full mandibles and forked tooth, so that |
they set to work at once.
After warm day, when they have been |
tempted nearer the surface, whole fields, |
changed into dried-up, withered leaves and |
stems. The roots of the vegetables, grain, |
or COLA, have been eaten and soon perish |
by the same means. For this reason, the |
habits of this kind of beetle have been
made peculiar study on the Continent,
especially when their ravages are SO much |
dreaded.
When the ground is in course of prepa-
ration for receiving the seed, in the months
of September and October, almost all the |
Larvae are near the surface; taking care not |
to pillow the ground too deeply, they will,
in most cases, be turned up, and the har-
row, theoretically used, will destroy the
greater number; if, however, the pillow is
too deep, they will only be buried.
The Sexton beetles are we'll known
throughout Europe, and are so called from
their living on the bodies of any animal
they can find. Should dead mouse or
mole be left in field, they collect in large