The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-08-18
Beetles.

I..a DtctltSs
Here are three beetles in n 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 't
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 a she'll
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 a leaf and then at an insects
wing, and you willse that one is veined
much like the other. @ry,t
t. Beetles are called sheathed- winged
| insects.
Count the legs of your beetles, and
see how they are jointed.
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 pear-tree
last summer, holding by his claws in the
daytime to the underside of a leaf, and
going out az 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 P The
grubs, or young horn-bugs, live in the
I apple, willow and oak trees, where YOU
may perhaps find them.
Here is a 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 a white ring around it. Look
4 at his long feelers. or antenne, word
that you will often have. to usein speak
ing of insects.
tn 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
3, between his first pair of legs, short,
pointed spine, shaped like a thorn, that
is usually kept in little sheath. When
the beetle falls on his p back he cannot
turn over unless he folds his legs, bends
his body, and then suddenly straightens
it. This makes the spine act like a
spring and throw the beetle into the
air. If he comes down on his back he
springs again and again until he alights
on his feet. 5,v liadaa hifS 1.
You will find spring in summer
on trees, fences and buildings.
I Sometimes you will find small beetles
that are, of beautiful blue-green 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 win last long time.
.lll 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 so much
larger and stronger than the plant lice
that they can easily kill and eat them
If you watch almost any tree or plant
q, you can see the lady-bugs getting Their
food, and sometimes you will find tn,
q branches of tree white with the shen,
n or skeletons of the plant-l'ce who's,
juices have been sucked by them. n
! If you look carefully at all the beetles
Vi that you find you will see that some %
them have short, thick bodies, and 9th
, ers' long, slender ones. In some tn,
three parts are distinctly marked ant
in Others it is not easy to find the head
, Perhaps you will see a large beetle
, 'sometimes called the ticker, from hi
long attenne, with which he gentl,
! touches the place on which he is walk
, ing. Heis slender, of a dull gray. color
}, with delicately feathered feet. eaNHF'
, You must look near the roots of tree
: and under stones for the larye, or grub
: of beetles, and by watching in you
: Gardens you viii be sure to find man,
: curious full-grown ones,-Toaths' Com
1 pd"ion.