Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-03-10
BENEFICIAL AND
INJURIOUS KINDS
---------------------------
Certain Beetles Are Worth a
Great Deal to the
Farmers.
OTHERS AGAIN Do MUCH HARM
Prof Titus OF the 4. c, L. Speaks on
The Colcoptera To Nature Glasses
NJ the state Normal.

Prof Titus delivered practical in
sect lecture on Monday at the Uni
verslty. lie said that beetles constitute
one of the largest groups OF insects.
they comprise some OF the most injur-
ious ana some of the most beneficial
of insect species. IT is important that
farmers should be able to distinguish
between the two kinds--the useful and
the destructive kinds
WHAT BEETLES ARE
Coleoptera, the name of the order,
signifies hard or bony shells--a mark
that characterizes this order Beetles
may be known by these hard wing COW
ers, beneath which are Usually found
pair of softer wings. Many nave these
wing colors in very beautiful and bril-
liant hues, late summer milk-weed
beetles, for instance, being of an ir-
ridescent blue or green. Many of them
shine with metallic luster. Others are
covered with a golden dust Still others
are striped with bars and curious pat
terms. In fact, every color in nature
has been lavished upon one or the other
of these lowly creatures. The color
is not merely laid on. either; it is even
more than inlaid, for every hair grows
its color from within.
THEIR CLASSIFICATION.
These shiny creatures OF the ground
are divided into two large groups
the genuine and the snout beetles. The
latter have long bealS inside OF which
its jaws work, The ordinary beetles
have biting mouth parts, and the jaws
work sideWisc. as with other biting in
seota. They are further subGivided into
Two ClaSsts In the first class the
talS! ali have the same number of
joints; that is, If the first leg has five
joints on the feet (tarsD, all the other
legs have the same number of joints
on the feet. In the other class the hind
feet do not have the same number of
tarsal joints as do those OF the first
class, their hind feet usually having
four and the other two pairs five Joints
each.
THE RUNNING BEETLES.
Those with the same number OF
joints on the tars comprise several
interesting kinds. First are the rum
nlng heetles-those with long legs and
trim-built bodies. They run swiftly.
All OF them feed on other insects or
upon other living animal matter. They
live in the ground, and may be seen
IN sand banks i'm early spring. The
larVa is Il doodle bug" corresponding
with the one described in Riley's poem;
though it is hard TO say whether the
poet meant this one or the one, de-
scribed by pr l}all. The adults can
be brought into tho school room and
fed on bits of meat. This larva lives
in the side of u sand bank The other
lives in the Hat surfhce and is not a
beetle, But one OF the dragon iy
group.
THE WATER BEETLES.
Tho next group arc called water
beetles. Their bodies are boat shaped
on both sides. They may be seen on
any pond. They have paddle-shaped
feet for skating on the water, and can
be kept in school rooms IN fruit dishes
containing sand, gravel, and water, al
though the larvae of the dragon fly
may catch and eat the beetles, as the
latter glide over the water. When
the water beetle dives, he takes a
bubble of air with him. in order to
breathe. and then he can stay under
the water for several hours. The un-
der side of his body is covered with
fine hairs to keep out the water.
THE sCAVENGERs.
This useful group. which does so
much for human health in temperate
regions. is distinguished by clavate
(club-shaped, capitate) antennae, or
feelers. We find these on any decay
ing animal matter, which they prompt
ly proceed to eat or to bury They
lay their eggs in the carrion, so that
the larvae may live on 1t. In all their
Use stages, they feed on decaying ami
mai matter ana are therefore always
useful. We find them in pantries
where they get into meal, flour, dried
fruit, and meat. They are easy TO
catch and to feed in the school room.
have strong mouth parts, and find their
food by smell. Some of the scaven-
gers are known as the burying beetles
They have beeni known to bury dead
frogs, mice, birds, and fish. This SER
vice is especially great in temperate
regions.
THE LADY BEETLES.
The well known lady beetles. wrong
~ called lady bugs, have habits any
thing but lady-lke, for they are among
| the most raVenous OF the beetles. They
| feed entirely on other insects. and are
| very valuable to us. They are nearly
always yellow, with black spots. Theii
bodies look round, as they crawl on
| rose bushes and weeds, feeding or
| plant lice. TO watch them feed. put
| several into q little bottle and give
| them leaves covered with plant lice
| Only one of the lady beetles Is injuri.
ous-one OF n dull light tan color GOV,
| cred with many small spots. II feed.
! on beans. The eggs OF the lady beetl,
are small. dull, white, globuar, ant
! are laid on the under side OF leaves
Their young have spines and hairs on
their back and look nothing like tn,
adults. You may see the pupa case
hanging near, and can study an insec
coming out of the pupa case NOR,
easily with this insect thnn with tn,
butterfly.
FLAT HEADED BORERS.
The young OF nat-headed borers ar
found In wood, They have rear-point
! ed bodies; the larvae are fiat headed