LESSON XXV.
THE ROSE BEETLE.
The chief family of the beetles is a large one. It is found in all parts of the world. The beetles that belong to it are large, and often of fine color and shape.
In old times the people of Egypt called one of this family the sacred beetle. They kept it as an object of worship. They often wore a stone or metal image of it, to keep themselves from harm.
Let us now study one of this family. It is called the Rose Beetle. That is a very pretty name. Thebeetle itself is pretty. It chooses a pretty home and dainty food.
The Rose Beetle.
The Rose Beetle.
Some call this the Golden Beetle, because of its color. It is a fine large beetle, with a thick body, round at the tail part. The feelers are short and club shaped. The body, head, legs, and wing-cases are a rich golden green, with silver spots and lines.
This beetle does not hold the wing-cases apart when it flies. It tips them only a little. The wide, thin wings come out from beneath them.
The rose beetle is seen most in May and June. You willfind it in the garden, about the flowers. Its chief food is honey and flower petals. Its mouth is not horny, but soft and skin-like.
The feelers have ten joints, and wave lightly as the beetle flies. It likes the sunshine. When it flashes about in the light, it looks like a piece of melted gold with green tints on it.
The rose beetle chooses for its home and food the brightest and largest flowers. It digs deep into the hearts of the roses. It sucks the honey and chews the petals.
When the mother rose beetle wishes to lay her eggs, she finds a place at the foot of a tree. She goes down among the roots, where the wood is old and soft. Then she puts her eggs between the bark and the wood.
Sometimes she changes her whole plan, and puts her eggs into an ant’s nest! The ants do not seem vexed at this.
The larva of the rose beetle is a fat, round, white thing, like a thick worm. The head is round, and of a pale brown color. The thin skin has hairs on it.
These larvæ move very slowly, and always restupon one side. They have strong jaws, and their feelers have five joints. A number of them live together. They are dull and lazy, and always eating. They eat leaves and soft wood.
While the weather is warm, the larvæ keep near the top of the soil. When it is cold, they dig down, even one or two feet, and lie asleep until spring comes again.
They live in this way for three years. Then they make a round or egg-shaped ball. They make the ball of grains of earth, bits of dead leaves, and grass. Or, they use the wood or sawdust they have cut up with their jaws. They fasten all this stuff together with glue from their mouths.
When the larvæ are shut up in this ball, they change very quickly. At first the ball, or case, seems full of a milky fluid. Then the legs and wings grow. After a few weeks the white worm has changed to a fine beetle that looks like a jewel.
Some of these beetles are so fine that they are put into hoops of gold for ear-rings and brooches. In the island of Manila ladies keep rose beetles in tiny cages for pets!
There is a beetle much like the rose beetle. It is called the May or June bug. These June bugs come in great numbers. They eat the leaves of trees, and even kill trees in this way. They fly bynight; and they like to get into a room where a lamp is burning. They are a golden brown color.
They blunder about, making a great buzz with their horny wings. They hit their heads on walls and panes of glass. Some people are afraid of them. That is foolish, for they can do no harm to them.
These June bugs hide all day in the shade. They do not like the sun. It is no wonder there are so many of them, as each mother lays forty eggs. The larvæ do much damage by eating plant roots.
Watch June beetles to see how they lift their wing-covers when about to fly. Look well at the folding of the inner wings.
If you open a door or window on a warm night and set a light in the room, you may soon catch very many pretty beetles which fly about to feast on the sweet white flowers that open after dark.