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A beetle of the genus Melolontha (esp. M. vulgaris) and allied genera; -- called also May bug, chafer, or dorbeetle.

A species of rove beetle; -- so called from its habit of elevating the tail.

of jaws (mandibles and maxillæ) adapted for chewing. Most of the Coleoptera are known as beetles and weevils.

A heavy beetle or wooden mallet, used in paving, in sail lofts, etc. Commander in chief, the military title of the officer who has supreme command of the land or naval forces or the united forces of a nation or state; a generalissimo. The President is commander in chief of the army and navy of the United States.…

Overlapping, as the elytra of certain beetles.

A kind of beetle which feeds upon dung.

One of the small chips or slices into which beets are cut in sugar making.

The fire beetle of Mexico and the West Indies.

Bitter cucumber (Bot.), the Citrullus or Cucumis Colocynthis. SeeColocynth. -- Cucumber beetle. (Zoöl.) (a) A small, black flea-beetle (Crepidodera cucumeris), which destroys the leaves of cucumber, squash, and melon vines. (b) The squash beetle. -- Cucumber tree.(a) A large ornamental or shade tree of the genus Mag…

One of a large group of beetles (Rhynchophora) of many genera; -- called also weevils, snout beetles, billbeetles, and billbugs. Many of the species are very destructive, as the plum curculio, the corn, grain, and rice weevils, etc.

shes; specif., the larvae of a small clearwing moth (Ægeria tipuliformis) and a longicorn beetle (Psenocerus supernotatus). -- Currant worm (Zoöl.), an insect larva which eats the leaves or fruit of the currant. The most injurious are the currant sawfly (Nematus ventricosus), introduced from Europe, and the spanworm (…

A small beetle (Anobium tessellatum and other allied species). By forcibly striking its head against woodwork it makes a ticking sound, which is a call of the sexes to each other, but has been imagined by superstitious people to presage death.

ts, skins, woolens, and furs. The most common species is D. lardarius, known as the bacon beetle.

Pertaining to or resembling the genus Dermestes. The carpet beetle, called the buffalo moth, is a dermestoid beetle. Pop. Sci. Monthly.

ansion, shaped somewhat like an apron. -- Devil's coachhorse. (Zoöl.) (a) The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens). [Eng.] (b) A large, predacious, hemipterous insect (Prionotus cristatus); the wheel bug. [U.S.] -- Devil's darning-needle. (Zoöl.) See under Darn, v. t. -- Devil's fingers, Devil's hand (Zoöl.), the common…

That dives or is used or diving. Diving beetle (Zoöl.), any beetle of the family Dytiscidæ, which habitually lives under water; - - called also water tiger. -- Diving bell, a hollow inverted vessel, sometimes bell-shaped, in which men may descend and work under water, respiration being sustained by the compressed air…

A large European scaraboid beetle (Geotrupes stercorarius), which makes a droning noise while flying. The name is also applied to allied American species, as the June bug. Called also dorr, dorbeetle, or dorrbeetle, dorbug, dorrfly, and buzzard clock.

The European goatsucker; -- so called because it eats the dor beetle. See Goatsucker. [Written also dorrhawk.] Booth.

The dorbeetle; also, a drone or an idler. See 1st Dor. Robynson (More's Utopia).

A genus of plant-eating beetles, including the potato beetle. See Potato beetle.