Showing papers in "Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society in 1986"

Nesting, Associates, and Mortality of Osmia sanrafaelae Parker

Abstract: The nesting biology of Osmia sanrafaelae Parker is described here for the first time. These solitary bees nested in cracks in soil banks and also used trap blocks. Bee nests were recovered from juniper-piny on scrubland, washes, sand dunes, and desert flat lands. Data on nests, nest architecture, nest associates, mortality, sex ratio, and pollen provisions are presented and discussed. Information on the influence of numbers of cells/ nest on sex ratio, mortality, and nest associates is given. The complex of nest associates differed spatially. High temperatures within nests made in 7.5 x 7.5 x 7.5 cm trap blocks may have been a factor in deaths of immature stages. Osmia sanrafaelae Parker is a newly described megachilid bee that is known only from southern Utah (Parker, 1985a). Bees of this genus commonly nest in traps of various design (refer to Parker and Bohart, 1966; Krombein, 1967; Tor chio and Tepedino, 1980; Parker, 1984 for information on trapping). Recent studies undertaken in Utah's San Rafael Desert produced numerous nests of O. sanrafaelae. In this report, the nesting sites, nest architecture, nest associates, mortality, sex ratio, and pollen provisions are discussed for the first time. Infor mation on the influence of hole size and number of cells per nest on sex ratio, mortality, and nest associates is also presented.

Biology of Monochamus carolinensis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on Scotch pine in Missouri.

Abstract: Information on the life cycle of Monochamus carolinensis (Olivier) on Scotch pine logs, Pinus sylvestris L., under field conditions in Missouri is presented. Immature stages develop entirely within the pine log. Eggs are deposited just beneath the bark. Early instar larval foraging occurs in the phloem-cambial region. After 3-4 weeks larvae bore into the xylem. The gallery consists of an S-shaped horizontal portion perpendicular to the axis of the tree, and a vertical portion parallel to the axis. Within the xylem, the gallery is kept free of frass and excelsior; larvae often return to the phloem-cambial region to feed and to express excelsior from the tunnel. Pupation occurs in the upper portion of the vertical gallery. Excelsior produced from excavation of the pupal chamber is used to plug the tunnel. Upon eclosi?n, the adult emerges by excavating a round hole through the bark. Those eggs oviposited before mid July develop to the adult stage in 8-12 weeks, whereas those eggs oviposited later overwinter in the larval stage. Monochamus carolinensis (Olivier) (Cole?ptera: Cerambycidae), colonizes weakened, dying, and freshly felled trees of the genus Pinus. Larvae develop in all species of pine within its geographical range, the eastern United States (Linsley and Chemsak, 1984). Present interest in several species of Monochamus concerns their role as vectors in the epidemiology of pine wilt disease (Linit et al., 1983; Wingfield, 1983; Luzzi et al., 1984). Walsh and Linit (1984, 1985) studied M. carolinensis feeding and oviposition behavior, and we have previously reported on seasonal occurrence and voltinism of this cerambycid in Missouri (Pershing and Linit, 1986). Monochamus spp. are generally regarded as secondary insects with the immature stages developing in weakened or recently dead conifers (Baker, 1972). After emergence, adults feed on the bark and phloem of healthy conifer branches (Lins ley, 1959). Life history studies have been conducted on M. titillator (F.) (Webb, 1909), M. notatus (Drury) (Morgan, 1947), M. scutellatus (Say) (Rose, 1957), and M. alternatus Hope (Yamane, 1975). We report here on the within-tree biology of M. carolinensis. Materials and Methods Scotch pine logs (30 cm long and ca. 10 cm in diam.) were cut from the bole of 20 year old trees and waxed on both ends to prevent desiccation. Ten pine logs were placed in M. carolinensis oviposition cages for a period of 24 hr to obtain eggs (Linit, 1985). Groups of logs (10) with eggs were placed in a screenhouse where they were shaded continuously yet subject to ambient temperature and 1 Contribution from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station. Journal Series No. 9940. Accepted for publication 30 October 1985. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.120 on Wed, 14 Sep 2016 05:40:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms VOLUME 59, NUMBER 4 707

Alternative methods of nest provisioning in the digger wasp clypeadon laticinctus hymenoptera sphecidae

Abstract: In a large nesting aggregation of the digger wasp Clypeadon laticinctus, all (n = 18) marked females under observation provisioned their nests with ants captured outside the nesting area. However, at least three other nests were provisioned by unmarked wasps who repeatedly took ants from neighboring nests. Individuals varied in their ability to maintain possession of a nest and in the rate of bringing prey to the nest. Provisioning rate was proportional to body size. Although nests were not occupied by more than one wasp at a time, 25% of a sample of 29 nests changed ownership. In sphecid wasps, hunting is done exclusively by adult females, who capture arthropod prey as a food supply for their offspring. The behavioral specializations involved in locating, capturing, and transporting prey have been analyzed in conjunction with morphological evidence to trace probable evolutionary pathways within the Sphecidae (Evans, 1963,1966; Evans and West Eberhard, 1970). These studies involved comparisons among species or higher level taxa, with some attention to patterns of geographic variation within species. Gathering data ad equate for making comparisons at such levels does not require that detailed attention be given to variation in the behavior of individual wasps. Consequently, few studies provide information on individual differences in rates of provisioning, nesting success, etc. Those relevant studies that exist show that individual vari ation occurs (Miller and Kurczewski, 1973; Alcock, 1975; Brockmann and Dawk ins, 1979; Brockmann, 1980; Cowan, 1981). Variability, if heritable, is the raw material necessary for the evolution of the diversity we observe in hunting and provisioning behavior of solitary wasps. Hence, a more complete understanding of the range of individual variation in behavior exhibited by members of a pop ulation should contribute to our understanding of how they have evolved. This paper compares rates of provisioning and patterns of nest occupancy among adult females of Clypeadon laticinctus (Cresson), and documents the existence of alternative methods of nest provisioning in one population of this species. C. laticinctus is an extreme prey specialist, capturing only worker ants of the species Pogonomyrmex occidentalis (Cresson) (Ainslee, 1909). Descriptions of nesting biology in Clypeadon are in Hicks (1927) and Evans (1962), and predator-prey interactions are described in Alexander (1985).

The Nearctic Species of Agnetina (Plecoptera: Perlidae)1

Abstract: The nearctic Agnetina (=Phasganophora) are reviewed and three valid species are recognized. A. annulipes (Hagen), n. comb, and A. flavescens (Walsh), n. comb, are removed from the A. capitata (Pictet) synonymy and the three species are redescribed. Keys for imagoes and nymphs are provided and a lectotype is designated for A. flavescens.

Phylogeny of the Species of the Anthonomus Subgenus Anthonomorphus Dietz, with Discussion of Relationships with Anthonomus grandis Boheman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract: Analysis of 12 adult, three larval, and six pupal characters of the four species of the subgenus Anthonomorphus Dietz of the genus Anthonomus Germar, using PAUP (Phylogenetic Analysis Using Parsimony), specified cladistic relationships of the species. The grandis species group (Anthonomus grandis Boheman and A. hunteri Burke and Cate) was used as the outgroup to determine character state polarity. Host plant and karyotypic data, not used in the analysis, are discussed as evidence of a sister-group relationship of Anthonomorphus and the grandis group. Adult morphological characters used in the anal ysis are illustrated and a map depicting the geographic distributions of the species is included. The subgenus Anthonomorphus Dietz of the genus Anthonomus Germar was revised by Burke (1964) to include four Nearctic species. Voss (1944) placed Anthonomus grandis Boheman in the subgenus, but Burke concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to warrant that action. Burke discussed morphological characters of the adults of the species of Anthonomorphus, but made no attempt to determine the phylogenetic relationships of the species. Considerable infor mation on larval and pupal characters, host relationships, and karyotypes of the species of Anthonomorphus and of A grandis and the closely related A nthonomus hunteri Burke and Cate has since been accumulated. This information and, more recently, increased interest in the question of phylogenetic relationships of A. grandis, provided the incentive to review the relationships of the species of An thonomorphus. This paper presents results of phylogenetic analyses of adult, lar val, and pupal morphological characters of the species of Anthonomorphus and a discussion of the relationship of these species to A. grandis and A. hunteri. The latter species is very similar to A. grandis (Burke and Cate, 1979). It does not differ from A. grandis in any of the characters used in the phylogenetic analyses, and for purposes of discussion, the two species are considered to constitute an informal species group, the grandis group.

Distribution and Abundance of D?ptera in Flypaper Traps at Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae) Flowers in Costa Rican Cacao Plantations

Abstract: Small (4.0 x 2.5 cm) pieces of sticky flypaper were placed among freshly opened flowers of Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae) in two Costa Rican cacao plantations during the 1982 rainy season to determine the kinds and relative abundances of Diptera visiting flowers. Censuses of small-bodied dipterans, involving five cacao trees at each locality, were taken to determine differences between day and night activity. A cacao tree was deliberately deflowered to determine if flowerless trees would attract fewer flies. A total of 17 dipteran families were collected. Phoridae accounted for 52% of the combined sample followed by Sciaridae (13%) and Drosophilidae (12%). Sixty percent of all dipterans were trapped at night at both localities combined. Patterns of abundance between night and day were consistent between localities. No difference in abundance of dipterans was found between flower-intact and deflowered trees, possibly a result of small, dispropor tionate sample sizes. Various taxa of small-bodied (3-7 mm) Diptera are floral visitors and effective pollinators of the Neotropical rain forest understory tree Theobroma cacao L. (Sterculiaceae) (e.g., Jones, 1912; Harland, 1925; Posnette, 1944, 1950; Soetardi, 1950; Van der Knapp, 1955; Saunders, 1959; Walker, 1959; Glendenning, 1962; Gorrez, 1962; Hernandez, 1965; Sampayan, 1966; Amponsah, 1975; Soria and Wirth, 1979; Soria et al., 1980; Young, 1983). The mechanism of pollination of cacao flowers by Ceratopogonidae, the dipteran family considered to be the most effective pollinators, is summarized by Bystrak and Wirth (1978). As part of continuing studies on the floral biology of cacao and related species of Theobroma (Young et al., 1984), I present here a preliminary floral visitor profile for cacao that was obtained by trapping flying insects within the immediate vicinity of open flowers. Although it is generally accepted that cacao pollinator activity is greatest in the daylight morning hours (Hernandez, 1965; Bystrak and Wirth, 1978), my study included an examination of day and night insect visitors to the vicinity of cacao flowers for two localities in Costa Rica.

Hydroptilidae (Trichoptera) of Alabama with descriptions of three new species

Abstract: Three new species of Hydroptilidae (Trichoptera), Hydroptila scheiringi, H. setigera and Ochrotrichia dardeni are described and illustrated. An annotated checklist of the ninety-five species of Hydroptilidae known to occur in Alabama is provided. Although the caddisfly fauna of the southeastern United States has received considerable attention in recent years (Unzicker et al., 1982; Lago et al., 1982), the fauna of Alabama remains virtually unknown. Blickle (1979), for instance, cites only a single record for Hydroptilidae in Alabama, that of Oxyethira pallida (Banks). In 1981, extensive collecting, primarily using black-light traps, was ini tiated in the state. This effort has resulted in the collection of 95 species of microcaddisflies, 23 of which were described during the course of the study (Hol zenthal and Kelley, 1983; Kelley and Harris, 1983; Harris and Kelley, 1984; Harris, 1985a, b, 1986). The richness of the hydroptilid fauna in Alabama is indicative of the range of physiographic regions represented in the state. These include the East Gulf Coastal Plain, Piedmont Plateau, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau, including the Highland Rim Plateau and Cumberland Pla teau subregions (Sapp and Emplaincourt, 1975). Three new species are described and illustrated herein. Terminology and species groupings follow Marshall (1979). Types will be deposited at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (NMNH), Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), Florida State Collection of Arthropods (FSCA), University of Alabama Insect Museum (UA), and collection of the author (SCH). Hydroptila scheiringi, new species (Fig. 1) In many respects, this consimilis group species resembles H. tusculum Ross, particularly in the lateral appearance of segment X. However, the inferior ap pendages are convergent distally, somewhat as in H. berneri Ross, rendering the species distinct. male: Length 4.0-4.3 mm. Antennae 27 segments. Color brown in alcohol. Venter of abdominal segment VII with short, apicomesal process. Segment VIII generally quadrate with ventrolateral lobe, series of several stout setae mesally along posterolateral margin. Most of segment IX retracted into VIII, posterior margin incised both dorsally and ventrally, heavily sclerotized ventromesally and along posterior margins. Segment X trilobed distally in dorsal view; lateral lobes in ventral view narrowed to produce slender, finger-like process. Subgenital plate triangular in ventral view, bearing two small setae centrally. Inferior appendages 1 Contribution Number 92 from the Aquatic Biology Program, University of Alabama. Accepted for publication 13 June 1986. This content downloaded from 40.77.167.55 on Tue, 04 Oct 2016 05:14:34 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 610 JOURNAL OF THE KANSAS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Fig. 1. Hydroptila scheiringi, n. sp., male genitalia. A. Lateral view. B. Ventral view. C. Dorsal view. D. Phallus. in ventral view narrow over their entire lengths, widely separated basally, con verging distally, and sharply curving laterally at apex to acute, sclerotized tip; in lateral view basal half narrow and parallel-sided, distal half sharply upturned and narrowing to acute point. Phallus sword-shaped, wide basally, narrowing distally, paramere at midlength encircling shaft. female: Unknown. etymology: Named for Dr. Joseph F. Scheiring, University of Alabama, in recognition of his contributions to aquatic ecology. HOLOTYPE 6: ALABAMA: Baldwin County, Pine Log Creek at Hwy. 59, 27 April 1985, S. C. Harris (NMNH). paratype: Same as above, but 18 August 1983, 1<5 (NMNH). Hydroptila setigera, new species (Fig. 2) This species is most similar to H. scolops Ross and several other members of the H. consimilis group of Marshall (1979). The seta-bearing basal shoulders of This content downloaded from 40.77.167.55 on Tue, 04 Oct 2016 05:14:34 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms VOLUME 59, NUMBER 4 611 Fig. 2. Hydroptila setigera, n. sp., male genitalia. A. Lateral view. B. Ventral view. C. Dorsal view. D. Phallus. the inferior appendages and the long setae of the subgenital plate will separate this species from H. scolops and related species. male: Length 2.6 mm. Antennae 27 segments. Color brown in alcohol. Venter of abdominal segment VII with short, apicomesal process. Segment VIII quadrate in lateral view. Segment IX approximately % width of VIII and extending ante riorly through that segment into VII, with several short setae on ventrolateral This content downloaded from 40.77.167.55 on Tue, 04 Oct 2016 05:14:34 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 612 JOURNAL OF THE KANSAS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Fig. 3. Ochrotrichia dardeni, n. sp., male and female genitalia. A. Lateral view 6. B. Dorsal view 6. C. Ventral view 6. D. Dorsal view $. E. Phallus. margin; in ventral view, deeply incised posteriorly, heavily sclerotized ventro mesally. Segment X in dorsal view membranous, with pointed lateral extensions and narrow, rounded mesal lobe; in lateral view the mesal lobe appearing as a narrow, upturned shelf, lateral extensions wide and slightly rounded distally. Subgenital plate in ventral view wide and slightly truncate distally, bearing two long, heavy setae subapically. Inferior appendages in ventral view nearly straight and narrowly separated, shouldered basolaterally, each shoulder bearing a long, heavy seta, apex of inferior appendage narrow and slightly curved outward at This content downloaded from 40.77.167.55 on Tue, 04 Oct 2016 05:14:34 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms VOLUME 59, NUMBER 4 613 sclerotized tip; in lateral view, narrow basally, gradually widening to rounded apex, seta-bearing basal shoulder appearing as narrow lobe. Phallus with basal portion tapering to bulb-like apex, bearing paramere encircling shaft; distal portion gradually tapering to apex, one side cut away near base to form a trough. female: Unknown. etymology: Latin, "bearing bristles." holotype 6: ALABAMA: Calhoun County, South Branch to Cane Creek on Fort McClellan Military Reservation, Area 15C, 3 miles northeast Anniston, 20 June 1984, S. C. Harris (NMNH). Ochrotrichia dardeni, new species (Fig. 3) Although closely resembling O. graysoni Parker and Voshell, this species is readily distinguished by the posterior bulb-like protrusion of segment X. Also, in O. dardeni the lateral hook of tergite X is serrate and less acute than in O. graysoni and the dorsal rod of segment X is shorter and wider. In Alabama, O. graysoni is restricted to the lower Appalachians in swift rocky streams and rivers, while O. dardeni occurs on the upper Coastal Plain in slow moving streams with sub strates of sand, clay and intermixed gravel. male: Length 2.3-3.3 mm. Antennae 29 segments. Color brown in alcohol. Abdominal segment VIII rectangular. Segment IX annular, dorsum deeply incised to accommodate segment X; ventrally with lateral incisions. Tenth tergum divided into two halves, each with several sclerotized processes. Left component with two elongate, narrow processes; upper process (sclerite C of Marshall, 1979) sinuate in dorsal view extending about half length of lower process, narrowing to apex, in lateral view widening subapically and curving dorsad; lower process (sclerite D of Marshall, 1979) sinuate and narrowing distally to serrate apex in dorsal view, in lateral view the distal portion forming a gently curving hook, serrate near apex. Right component of tenth tergite with long narrow rod, sinuate distally, lying in groove of ventral portion of segment X. This ventral portion terminating in a round bulb, most evident in lateral view. Inferior appendages nearly parallel sided in dorsal and ventral views, numerous peg-like setae along mesal surfaces; in lateral view somewhat boat-shaped, widest at midlength, narrowing distally to rounded apex, peg-like setae clumped near apex and along ventral margin begin ning near midlength. Phallus simple, tubular, with heart-shaped apex. female: Length 2.5-3.5 mm. Antennae 27 segments. Identical to male in general appearance. Abdominal segments VII and VIII fused. Eighth tergum with deep incision posteriorly; internally with two pair of lateral apodemes, one pair originating at midlength and extending anteriorly to posterior portion of segment VI, second pair originating at anterior margin of segment IX and extending forward to middle segment VI. Segment IX narrow, emarginate anteriorly and retracted into preceding segment; pair of lateral apodemes. Segment X short and conical, bearing pair of thick, lateral setae subapically. Vaginal apparatus with elongate, anteromesal process, posteriorly with lateral serrations, interior sclerite narrow and curving anteriorly. etymology: Named for Dr. William H. Darden, Jr., University of Alabama, in recognition of his contributions to aquatic biology and support of aquatic research in Alabama. This content downloaded from 40.77.167.55 on Tue, 04 Oct 2016 05:14:34 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 614 JOURNAL OF THE KANSAS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY HIGHLAND RIM PLATEAU CUMBERLAND PLATEAU

Notes on the nesting biology and immature development of Euparagia scutellaris Cresson (Hymenoptera: Masaridae)

Abstract: Two female Euparagia scutellaris Cresson were discovered nesting within an active Diadasia nigrifrons Cresson nesting site along the South Fork of the Little Bear River in Cache County, Utah Both nests were dissected and brood were subsequently reared in the laboratory Information was obtained on egg placement, hatching, and larval development Nest architecture, provisioning, and cocoon structure are compared with published reports Euparagia scutellaris Cresson is a relatively uncommon vespoid wasp restricted to the western United States It has been placed in the family, Masaridae, subfamily Euparagiinae (Richards, 1962) based on adult characteristics More recently, Car penter (1982) has reevaluated the vespoids based on a variety of characteristics and he places Euparagiinae and Masarinae (=Masaridae of Richards) as equal components of Vespidae For the purposes of this study, we follow Carpenter's systematics because the biology of Euparagia more closely aligns with non-mas arine vespids Some of the confusion in placing Euparagia taxonomically has been due to the lack of sufficient biological information available on this genus Consequently, when two nests of E scutellaris were discovered in 1983, we carefully dissected their burrows to study nest architecture and development of immature forms Information obtained in this study further substantiates some of the results re ported in earlier literature and, more importantly, confirms a consequential bio systematic characteristic (the timing of egg placement) In addition, results on egg placement, embryogenesis, eclosi?n, and cocoon construction are also presented

Mimicry of bumble bees and cuckoo bumble bees by carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae).

Abstract: The apparent mimicry of a cuckoo bumble bee (Psithyrus ashtoni) by a carrion beetle (Necrophila americana) is described. Other published observations of bumble bee mimicry by silphid beetles are examined. Based on these examples, we suggest that some carrion beetles are distasteful M?llerian mimics of bumble bees and cuckoo bumble bees, and that the presence and extent of mimicry has been favored by similarities in size, diurnal flying habits, and resource searching ecologies. Bumble bees {Bombus spp.) are large and conspicuous elements of most tem perate geographical areas. Their varied color patterns, in combination with a potent sting, have made them useful models in several M?llerian and Batesian mimicry systems. The evolution of bumble bee coloration is not completely under stood. It has been explained as a result of (a) congeneric M?llerian mimicry (Rettenmeyer, 1970; Wickler, 1968; Plowright and Owen, 1980), (b) thermor?g ulation (Stiles, 1979), and (c) coevolution (e.g., the mimicry of certain Bombus species by later-emerging, host-specific cuckoo bumble bees [Psithyrus spp.]) (Slad en, 1912; Reinig, 1935; Plowright and Owen, 1980). Many bumble bee species look superficially alike. If one ignores the special thermor?gulation requirements of queen-seeking Bombus males, which may ac count for their departure in coloration from conspecific workers and queens, three possible explanations for bumble bee mimicry remain: (1) bees belong to mimicry 'rings' which share patterns of coloration, such that predators will avoid them via stimulus generalization; (2) bees use aposematic coloration, usually involving red contrasted with other colors, to advertise non-palatability; and (3) bees mimic earlier-emerging bees to take advantage of previous predator sampling. In combination, these three hypotheses explain observed bumble bee coloration, although hypothesis (2) does not necessarily involve mimicry of any kind, unless it is the sharing of a common warning signal (e.g., Rettenmeyer, 1970). Can these three explanations of bumble bee mimicry be extended to explain the apparent mimicry of bumble bees by other insects? Visual mimicry of bumble bees occurs commonly in hover flies (Syrphidae), robber flies (Asilidae), and bee flies (Bombylidae) (e.g., Wickler, 1968; Conn, 1972; Waldbauer et al., 1977; Heal, 1979a, b). Mimicry of bumble bees (and other stinging Hymenoptera) by beetles also has been recorded (Lane and Rothschild, 1965; Heal, 1979b). Some coleop teran bee mimics imitate both the sound and appearance of flying or disturbed 1 Current address: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K., OX1 3PS. Accepted for publication 20 November 1984. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.35 on Wed, 31 Aug 2016 04:14:27 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms VOLUME 59, NUMBER 1 21 queens and workers (Milne and Milne, 1944), presumably by similar wing folding and vibration of the thoracic musculature (Esch and Wilson, 1967). In this paper we describe the apparent Miillerian mimicry of a cuckoo bumble bee, Psithyrus ashtoni Cresson, by a carrion beetle, Necrophila americana Lin naeus, with a goal of analyzing other published observations of bumble bee mim icry by carrion beetles, to see why color convergence has occurred in these two disparate insect genera. Morphological Comparison Our attention was drawn to the similarity between females of Psithyrus ashtoni and adults o? Necrophila americana during the spring of 1982, when one of us (RMF), while looking for Psithyrus females, mistakenly chased an adult N. amer icana which was flying at a height of 0.5 meters in an area of scattered willow (Salix spp.). Closer examination of this specimen showed an immediate and striking resemblance to a P. ashtoni female (Fig. 1). When at rest with the elytra closed, these insects display several features in common with Psithyrus females. The size of adults (16-20 mm), as described by Jaques (1954), is within the range ofthat of P. ashtoni females (18-22 mm). The antennae of N. americana are gradually cl?vate and less clubbed than those of species belonging to the genus Nicrophorus. In coloration, N. americana adults have a black head. There is an extensive yellow thoracic disk with a central patch of black, which extends over the edge of the body. The elytra are black, but tinged with yellow at the posterior margins. The undersides of the elytra are covered with dull yellow hairs; the underlying abdomen is black (Fig. 1). This description matches that of P. ashtoni females, which have a black head, yellow thorax with central patch of dark pile, and a black abdomen fringed pos teriorally with yellow hairs. Unlike their bumble bee hosts, P. ashtoni females have very little pile on their abdomens. The abdomen is heavily sclerotized, black and shiny. Geographical Range and Habitat Necrophila americana ranges from the southeastern United States into southeast Canada, and west to Manitoba (Anderson, 1982). Psithyrus ashtoni ranges from eastern Canada west to Saskatchewan, and south to Virginia (Franklin, 1912). In southerly localities of the southeastern United States, N. americana adults lack apical elytral coloration (Anderson, pers. comm.). While the distribution of P. ashtoni does not extend this far south, another cuckoo bumble bee, Psithyrus variabilis Cresson, is common as far south as Florida (Franklin, 1912). P. variabilis is similar in size and coloration to P. ashtoni, but lacks yellow pile on the abdomen. Thus, N. americana may mimic either cuckoo bumble bee species, depending upon its locality. Pitfall traps located in a variety of different habitats indicate that N. americana is opportunistic in areas where it searches for carcasses, although it seems to favor marsh and forest areas (Anderson, 1982). Females of P. ashtoni which are nest searching are found in the same habitats as their hosts. Host bees favor a field forest interface, or the fringes of coniferous and deciduous forest (Fisher, unpubl.; Hobbs, 1968). Since both hosts of P. ashtoni are underground nesters, queens are This content downloaded from 157.55.39.35 on Wed, 31 Aug 2016 04:14:27 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 22 JOURNAL OF THE KANSAS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY not likely to nest in areas which are wet, although they often forage from plant species which are found there. Flight Periods and Adult Abundance The initial flight periods of N. americana and P. ashtoni coincide almost exactly. N. americana is one of the earliest-emerging and most abundant silphids. Fecund females are common from about mid-May to July, when the first te?erais appear (Shubeck, 1977; Anderson, 1982). Similarly, P. ashtoni begins to search for host Bombus nests in mid-May. At this time of the year it is among the most abundant nest-searching bumble bees in central Ontario (Fisher, unpubl.).

New Species and New Genera of Noctuids from Arizona, Texas, and Mexico: The Genera Matigramma and Acritogramma (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Catocalinae)

Abstract: The United States and Mexican species of the genus Matigramma Grote and the new genus Acritogramma are characterized; six new species, aderces, adoceta, emmilta, inopinata, necopina, and repentina, are described in the genus Matigramma. During the first few collecting trips to southern Arizona it became obvious that the species identified as Matigramma rubrosuffusa Grote was a mixture of three or four species; later, examination of the genitalia of both sexes supported this observation. The number of species collected was four, and a fifth was found in the United States National Museum collection from the Baboquivari Mountains. As the study of the genus progressed, it was decided to include material from Texas and Mexico to make the coverage of the species as complete as possible and to provide a means of identification if any of these species were collected in