Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-09-08
Beetles.


Here are three beetles in a little box.
One of them is large, brown and shin
ing, the second golden yellow, and not
more than half as large, and the third
black, with very small white spots and
white rings on his head around two
large black spots that look like eyes.
How do we know that they are
beetlesp
Because all beetles are covered with
hard, shell-like cases, that meet in a
straight line on the top of the back. The
two front wings close over the hind
ones and the back, and make shell
that is like coat of mail, to keep the
body from harm. These wings are of
almost no use in flying. The hind ones
are large and strong enough for that,
gauzy and with strong ribs, or veins.
Look at leaf and then at an insects
wing, and you will see that one is veined
much like the other.
Beetles are called sheathed- winged
insects.
Count the legs of your beetles, and
see how they are iointed.
Notice that the beautiful gold-beetle,
who is shining with green and bronze,
has curved claws, and that the lower
part of his body is covered with soft
down. He used to live in a pear-tree
last summer, holding by his claws in the
daytime to the undersde of leaf, and
going out at twilight. If you shake al
most any tree in your garden in June,
you will be pretty sure of seeing one
just like him drop on the ground.
The large brown beetle, or horn-bug,
as you children call HIM, has long,
curved Jaws, with two small teeth in
side them. See how strong these jaws
are. Look at his legs, and notice how
carefully and nicely they are jointed
Can you find any hairs upon them ? The
grubs, or young horn-bugs, live in the
apple, willow and oak trees, where you
may perhaps find them.
Here is curious beetle, longer and
more slender than the others, black,
sprinkled with white dots. On each
side of what you would call at first his
head, but is really his thorax, or the
upper part of his body, is large black
spot with white ring around it. Look
at his long feelers. or antenne, word
that you will often have to use in speak
ing of insects.
If your beetle is alive, you will see
him jerk himself about in strange way,
that you may not understand unless YOU
watch him closely. He has on his breast
between his first pair of legs, a short,
pointed spine, shaped like thorn, that
is usually kept in little sheath When
the beetle falls on his back he cannot
turn over unless he folds his legs, bends
his body, and then suddenly straighter-s
it. This makes the spine act like a
spring and throw the beetle into the
air. If he comes down on his back re
springs again and again until he alights
on his feet.
You will find spring beetles in sumner
on trees, fences and buildings.
Sometimes you will find small beetles
that are of beautiful blue-grecn in
some lights, and red or yellow in others.
In South America beetles of these col
ors are much larger than here, and are
made into necklaces and bracelets that
if carefully used will last long time.
The little black-spotted, red lady bird,
or lady-bug, that you all know, is really
a beetle, with wing-covers like the 9th
ers. The plants on which its eggs are
laid are covered with small insects
called plant-lice, which eat roots, stems,
buds and leaves. The young lady-bugs,
as soon as they are Matched, are 50 much
larger and stronger than the plant.lice
that they can easily kill and eat them.
If you watch almost any tree Or plant
you can see the lady-bugs getting their
food, and sometimes you will find the
branches of a tree white with the shells
or skeletons of the plant-liCe whose
juices have been sucked by th0m.
If you look carefully at all the beetles
that you find you will see th,t some Of
them have short, thick bodice, and 9th
ers long, slender ones. In some the
three parts are distinctly marked and
in Others it is not easy to tinG the head.
Perhaps you will see large beetle,
sometimes called the ticker, from his
long attennn, with which he gently
touches the place on which he 10 walk.
ing. He is slender, of dull gray color
with delicately fcathered feet.
You must look near the roots of trees
and under stones for the la:v@, or grubs
of beetles, and by watching in your
gardens you will be sure to find many
curious full-grown ones. Youths Com
Danion.