Florida Entomologist
Official Organ of the Florida Entomological Society

Vol. XII AUTUMN NUMBER No. 3
SEPTEMBER, 1928

RESUMPTION OF EGG-LAYING BY HIBERNATED COTTON
BOLL WEEVILS (ANTHONOMUS GRANDIS BOH.)
By EDGAR F. GROSSMAN'
The following discussion is offered in view of the widespread
belief concerning boll weevil egg-laying to the effect that "It is
evident that while leaves will sustain life, certain nutritive ele-
ments found only in squares are essential in the production of
eggs: * it seems peculiar that upon a purely leaf diet eggs
are not developed, but all observations made indicate that this is
the case."2
The above quotation indicates the conclusions reached by Dr.
Hinds after completing experiments carried on during 1902,
1903, and 1904. The experiments, at first dealing with the
length of time weevils would feed solely on leaves, led to obser-
vations indicating that no eggs were laid until the boll weevil had
been fed on cotton squares for a number of days. Tests showed
that weevils, feeding on leaves for a period of three weeks and
then changed to a cotton square diet, would begin to lay eggs
in four days. Later tests showed that after feeding on leaves
for six weeks oviposition began from three to five days after
squares were substituted for the leaves.
The present writer, however, noticed that the first small
squares to appear in a boll weevil infested cotton field contained
weevil eggs. A careful examination showed that there were no
other squares in the field capable of supplying a three to five day
square diet for the weevils. The supposition reached, therefore,
was that the weevils, after sufficient leaf-feeding,, would lay eggs
iri the squares as soon as they became available.
'Contribution from the Department of Cotton Investigations, Florida
Agricultural Experiment Station.
"Hinds, W. E. Bulletin 51, pp. 112-113, Bureau of Entomology, U. S.
D. A., 1905.

THE FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST

In order to investigate this possibility, the writer inaugurated
a series of experiments to determine: (A) whether or not
chemical analysis would reveal a greater or lesser concentration
of ether extracts, nitrogen and carbohydrates in the squares
than in the leaves; (B) whether or not egg-laying depended
chiefly on concentration of diet; (C) whether or not there were
certain nutritive elements found in the cotton squares which
were not in cotton leaves; and (D) whether or not the possible
presence of vitamin E was a contributing factor towards egg-
laying.
Chemical analyses of various parts of plants show that gener-
ally there is an increasing gradient of total nitrogen and a
decreasing gradient of polysaccharides and sucrose towards the
portions of the plant showing the most active vegetative
growth.' 2 Since there was a marked difference in the activity of
the weevil in oviposition after feeding on lower and terminal
leaves, respectively, and comparative little difference in activity
after feeding on terminal leaves or cotton squares, the squares
and terminal leaves were analyzed for a comparison of ether
extracts, total nitrogen and carbohydrate content.

TABLE I. A COMPARISON OF THE PERCENTAGES OF ETHER EXTRACTS,
REDUCING SUBSTANCES, TOTAL SUGAR, SOL. STARCHES AND DEXTRINS,
TRUE STARCH AND HEMICELLULOSE, TOTAL HYDROLIZED CARBOHYDRATES
AND TOTAL NITROGEN IN TERMINAL LEAVES AND SQUARES OF YOUNG
COTTON PLANTS.

0 4W 0 .-
P4 P 0 &a q V) E Edo

% % % % % % 0% %
Leaves .............. 5.50 2.050 2.983 1.900 3.516 6.266 14.665 4.66

Squares ............ 3.03 1.483 2.266 1.800 3.466 5.733 13.265 3.60

All determinations made on dry weight basis.
All carbohydrates given in terms of glucose.

'Kraus, E. J., and H. R. Kraybill. Bulletin 149, Oregon Agr. College
Experiment Station. 1918.
2Graber, L. F., N. T. Nelson, W. A. Leukel and W. B. Albert. Research
Bulletin 80. Agr. Experiment Station, University of Wisconsin. 1927.

AUTUMN NUMBER

A chemical analysis (obtained through the courtesy of Dr.
W. A. Leukel, Agronomy Department, Florida Agricultural Ex-
periment Station) of the terminal leaves and cotton squares is
given in Table I. As indicated in later experiments, no great
significance can be attached to the chemical differences, as shown
in Table I, between the terminal cotton leaves and cotton
squares, with regard to egg-laying.
For determining whether or not there were certain nutritive
elements found in the cotton squares which were not in cotton
leaves, weevils emerging from hibernation were used. Such
weevils were considered satisfactory since they were known not
to have eaten cotton squares or leaves for a period of four to five
months.
The use of weevils as an index for determining the compara-
tive effectiveness of cotton leaves and squares for egg-laying,
necessitated the following experiments: (a) weevils fed squares
to determine the average number of days required for oviposi-
tion; (b) weevils fed lower (fully developed) leaves for a varying
number of days after which squares were substituted for the
leaves; and (c) weevils fed terminal (growing) leaves for a
varying number of days before squares were substituted.
Immediately on emerging from hibernation one set of weevils
was placed, along with fresh cotton squares, in lantern jars
which were kept in a constant temperature chamber where 82'
F. was maintained throughout all the following tests. A second
set of weevils was placed in jars with fully grown cotton leaves
picked from the lower part of the plant. A third set of weevils
was placed in jars with young and tender growing leaves picked
from the terminal portion of the branches.
The first set of weevils (see Table II), those fed immediately
on cotton squares, consisted of 181 individuals assembled in 27
groups of varying numbers, 2 to 15, males and females. Daily
observations were made in order to determine the first evidence
of oviposition. The shortest period of feeding occurring in any
one group before eggs were laid was 4 days; the longest, 8
days. The average length of time required for the first egg to
be laid in any one group was about 6 days.
The second set consisted of weevils which, on emerging from
hibernation, were fed on fully grown cotton leaves collected
from the lower branches of the plant. One hundred and ninety-
six weevils were assembled in 12 groups, with from 6 to 20

THE FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST

weevils, males and females, per group. Though weevils in these
groups were fed the above specified leaves, 4, 5, 6, 10, 15 and 18
days, respectively, before being changed to a square diet, there is
little evidence of a reduced length of time for oviposition. The
shortest period of square diet, following varying lengths of
presquare leaf diet before egg-laying began, was, as in the case
of the first set of weevils, 4 days. The longest period was 7
days and the average length of time in any one group was about
5 days, a day shorter than when there was no presquare diet
offered the weevils.
The third set of weevils, taken as they emerged from hiber-
nation, was fed on young and tender leaves picked from the
terminal ends of the cotton branches. There were 197 weevils
in this set, assembled into 53 groups, of from 2 to 10 weevils,
males and females, per group. After feeding on the terminal
leaves for 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 23, and 24
days, respectively, the weevils were given a square diet and the
first oviposition was noted. The shortest period of square diet,
prior to oviposition, was less than 24 hours, and the longest
period was 8 days. The average length of time required was
about 31/2 days, 21/ days shorter than when there was no pre-
square diet, and 11/2 days shorter than when lower leaves were
given the weevils as a presquare diet.
In the third set there appears to be a general tendency for a
decreasing of the time required for square feeding before ovipo-
sition. This condition, in addition to the appreciable reduction
in the average time required, would indicate that egg-laying de-
pended chiefly on concentration of diet. One would also be led
to believe that there were not certain nutritive elements found
in the cotton squares which were not in cotton leaves. There is
a marked difference, however, between leaves gathered from
those portions of the plant showing the most and least active
vegetative growth. Fully grown leaves appear to meet the re-
quirements for life, but not those for egg-laying, while growing
leaves appear not only to sustain life but also to stimulate egg-
laying by contributing the necessary food concentration.
In view of the fact that in two instances eggs were laid within
24 hours following a leaf diet, it can be assumed that if a vita-
min is in question it is present in the terminal leaves as well as
in the squares and consequently would be of little interest in
this particular connection.

TABLE II. A COMPARISON OF BOLL WEEVIL OVIP
ON: (A) A COTTON SQUARE DIET; (B) Lo'
CHANGED TO A SQUARE DIET; AND (C)
LATER CHANGED TO A SQUARE DIET.

Weevils Fed on Cotton Weevils Fed on Lower
Cotton Leaves and
Squares Only Then Fed on Squares

"a -
0

0 a
PI z 0 'I
I ^ s
ta E? Mg >V

..........~ ...... ........ .
----------- -------- --)-------- -

1-10a 4b
11-15 4
16-26 7
27-32 5
33-35 8
36-37 6
38-39 7
40-41 4
42-43 4
44-45 7
46-47 4
48-49 4
50-51 7
52-53 5
54-55 5
56-57 7
58-59 7
60-61 7
62-71 6
72-81 7
82-91 7
92-106 7
107-121 6
122-136 5
137-151 6
152-166 5
167-181 5
-) - - - -. .
--------------------------- -----I---------

------------------------------ ------------

------------------------------ ------------
- - - - --. ... . .. . . . . . . . .

...--.---------.-----------
--- --- --- -- --- --- -- - .1 ---- -- -- --

-- --- --- --- --- --- ---- -| ---------- ---.

- - -- - - -- -- - - -- -- - - - --

---- ---- -- ---- ---- -- -- -- ---.--------
.----------- I--- -------

.-- - - -- - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - -

-....... .. ... ----

182-194 4 6
195-211 5 5
212-227 5 7
228-247 5 5
248-267 5 5
268-279 6 5
280-291 6 4
292-311 10 4
312-331 10 5
332-351 15 5
352-372 15 6
372-377 18 5

------ ------ ----- ---- --- --- --- I

a. All weevils were placed in the jars in groups,
b. The first egg laid was recorded.
c. Laid egg within 24 hours.

POSITION AFTER FEEDING
WER LEAF DIET LATER
TERMINAL LEAF DLET

Weevils Fed on Terminal
Cotton Leaves and
Then Fed on Squares

w7 0

405-41 5 I 3"

389-390 5 6

414-415 5 4
416-425 5 4
426-435 5 2
436-441 5 4
442-451 6 4
452-454 6 3
455-456 7 6
457-458 7 3
459-460 7 3
461-462 7 4
463-464 7 4
465-466 8 2
467-468 8 6
469-471 9 3
472-473 9 3
474-478 9 5
479-481 9 8
482-483 9 4
484-485 9 4
486-471 10 2
472-478 10 4
479-480 10 3
481-484 10 5
485-489 10 2
490-495 10 6
496-499 11 5
500-509 11 1
510-511 '14 1
512-518 14 3
519-521 15 7
522-527 15 3
528-530 15 2
531-534 15 O
535-536 15 3
537-538 15 3
539-540 15 3
541-546 15 5
547-552 15 4
553-554 18 1
555-556 18 1
557-558 18 1
559-560 18 3
561-565 19 1
566-567 21 1
568-570 21 3
571-572 23 5
573-574 24 5
males and females.

--------------------
--------------- I.-
--------------------
------------ .......
---------- ---------

THE FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST

The question of boll weevil egg-laying is rather important eco-
nomically, since early season poisoning is directed against boll
weevils emerging from hibernation. If it is believed that the
weevils must first feed on squares before they can lay eggs,
poisoning may be delayed long enough for the hibernated weevil
to establish itself through the means of an unmolested first gen-
eration hatched weevil. If, however, it is realized that the wee-
vils, feeding in the cotton buds prior to the appearance of
squares, are prepared to lay eggs as soon as the squares become
available, early poisoning would be rigorously followed.

PROF. SILVESTRI VISITS FLORIDA
Dr. Filippo Silvestri of Portici, Italy, visited Florida during
the last week in September. He found the heavy infestations
of entomogenous fungi parasitizing aleurodids and scale insects
very interesting. Dr. Silvestri, who has visited all the important
citrus growing regions of the world, stated that never before
had he found entomogenous fungi so abundant nor had he ever
seen such large citrus trees.

DR. BALL LEAVES FLORIDA
Dr. E. D. Ball, who has had charge of the State Plant Board
laboratory at Sanford for the study of the Celery Leaf-tyer, is
leaving for Arizona where he becomes Dean of the College of
Agriculture and Director of the Experiment Station. It is with
deep regret that his coworkers in Florida and the Florida Ento-
mological Society, of which he is the president, views the de-
parture of Dr. Ball. Dr. Ball came to Florida in August, 1925.
An especially interesting feature of Dr. Ball's work with the
Celery Leaf-tyer at Sanford has been his studies of the relation
between severe outbreaks of this insect and weather conditions
during the winter months. Temperature, acting directly upon
the insect and upon its chief parasite was found to be the chief
factor. These results will be published shortly. Dr. Ball's work
has also shown the value of birds as controllers of this insect.
He has developed the use of pyrethrum instead of arsenicals in
the control of this insect.

6he
FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST
Official Organ of The Florida Entomological Society, Gainesville,
Florida.

J. R. WATSON.--..--.......-...------.........--..---.....-- --------------Editor
WILMON NEWELL............ ..........--------------- Associate Editor
A. N. TISSOT ..--...-.............. ........--------------Business Manager
Issued once every three months. Free to all members of the
Society.
Subscription price to non-members is $1.00 per year in ad-
vance; 35 cents per copy.

THE VELVET BEAN CATERPILLAR, A PEANUT PEST IN
THE EVERGLADES
It has long been known that the velvet bean caterpillar
(Anticarsia gemmatilis) would eat peanuts, but the only circum-
stance under which this crop has been attacked under field con-
ditions was when it was planted adjacent to a velvet bean field.
If the caterpillars completely defoliated the velvet beans they
would sometimes crawl over onto the peanuts and complete
their growth on that plant, but the moths were never observed
to lay eggs on peanuts nor were the first instars of the cater-
pillars ever observed on that plant. This condition has held dur-
ing the present season about Gainesville and in all other sections
of the state where observations were made except in the Ever-
glades. In the Everglades, however, some plantations, one a
large one comprising 150 acres, were severely attacked by this
insect. During July all instars of larvae were found abundantly
on peanuts as were also eggs. The moths were observed laying
eggs on peanuts. With the exception of a few very small patches
of velvet beans, the hitherto known host plants of this insect
(Cannavalia, the native host plant, kudzu, and Soya Beans)
seem to be entirely absent from the Everglades. The moths are
powerful fliers and as they fly over the Everglades, in the absence
of their preferred host plants, they are forced to lay their eggs
on the only available plant. This is probably the reason that this
insect has developed as a pest of peanuts in the Everglades but
not in other parts of the state where velvet beans are available.
As hitherto recorded for the northern part of the state, these
caterpillars are unusually free of parasites, from only about one

THE FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST

per cent of the pupae collected in the field did a parasite, a
tachinid fly, emerge. On the other hand, they are very subject
to attack by predators, the carabid beetle Calosoma sayi was
especially abundant in the Everglades.

AN OUTBREAK OF THE SEMI-TROPICAL ARMY WORM
The past summer has witnessed an unusual outbreak of the
Semi-tropical Army Worm (Xylomyges eridania Cramer).
They were first noticed early in July in the Everglades, where
they practically defoliated the Water Hemp (Acnida cannabina
L., Ameranthaceae), and were found on many grasses, cowpeas,
etc. By the latter part of the month they had appeared over the
entire peninsula at least as far north as Gainesville, where they
attacked sweet potatoes, many grasses and especially Coffeeweed
(Glottidium vesicarium (Jacq.) Desv.). Some citrus growers
made the mistake of cutting their cover crop of cowpeas when
attacked by this insect and drove these caterpillars to the young
trees whose leaves they ate.
The caterpillars have been highly parasitized. From a hun-
dred pupae Mr. W. L. Thompson at Lake Alfred hatched out 66
moths, 26 tachinid flies and 8 ichneumon flies. From young
larvae at Gainesville Mr. H. E. Bratley bred large numbers of a
small hymenopteron. Sometimes the percentage of caterpillars
killed by the latter was as high as 90. Calosoma sayi was very
active in destroying the pupae in the Everglades.
The last important outbreak of these insects in Florida occurred
during the summer of 1918 when they attacked the castor beans
which were being raised to furnish oil for the army airplanes.
The poisoned bran bait has given effective control of the cater-
pillars.

EFFECT OF THE HURRICANE ON THE ABUNDANCE OF
SOME INSECTS
It has often been observed that heavy rains, especially when
accompanied by high winds, are very destructive of insect life.
In this connection some observations on the effects of the rather
mild tropical hurricane that passed across central Florida from
August 7th to 10th are offered.

AUTUMN NUMBER

At Lake Alfred Mr. W. L. Thompson has been keeping weekly
records of the numbers of predators per 10,000 individuals of
Aphis spiraecola. Lake Alfred was near the center of the storm.
However, the wind was not especially violent there, little dam-
age was done to trees or buildings, but five inches of rain fell
in two days. The following table gives the number of aphid
predators counted before and after the storm. In this table the
following predators are recorded in order. Blood-red Ladybee-
tie (Cycloneda sanguine immaculate (Fab.)), larvae'(1.) and
adults (a.); Convergent Ladybeetle (Hippodamia convergens
Guer.) larvae and adults; the larvae of Baccha clavata Fab.;
larvae of Baccha lugens; aphis lions (larvae of Hemerobius sp.).

I *Per
Aug. Aphids C. sang. H. conv. B.clav B.ug. Hem. Total 10000
1. a. 1. a. Aphs.
3-6 10,000 5 3 4 2 58 9 2 83 83
10-11 2,000 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 15
20-23 5,000 0 4 0 0 9 13 4 30 60

It is thus seen that there was a great and sudden drop in
numbers after the storm. The diminution in numbers was
really much greater than this table would indicate, as much
more territory was covered in searching for the 2,000 aphids
(all that could be found) on August 10th-llth than for the
10,000 counted before the storm. The table indicates that the
more delicate predators, larvae of syrphus flies, suffered more
severely than the aphids, which themselves suffered very marked
destruction.
That such a storm may clean a colony of parasitic fungi and
thus improve the sanitary conditions in the aphid colony is
shown by Mr. Thompson's observations on Empusa Fresenii
Now. Among the 10,000 aphids counted on August 3-6 were
the corpses of 500 which had been killed by this disease. After
the storm and up until August 30, not a single one was found.
Other insects whose numbers were markedly decreased by
the storm were the Six-spotted Mite (Tetranychus sexmaculatus
Riley) and the Rust Mite (Phyllocoptes oleivorus (Ash.)).
At Gainesville, over 100 miles to the north of the center of the
storm, where, however, over 51/2 inches of rain fell in two days,
it was noticed that nearly all of the butterflies were destroyed.
Those that were noticed after the storm were evidently all
freshly emerged specimens.

THE FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST

THREE RECENT BOOKS OF INTEREST TO
ENTOMOLOGISTS
Two interesting and valuable books (from the Macmillan
Company, New York) have appeared during the summer. "The
Biology of Insects" by George H. Carpenter, Keeper of the Man-
chester (England) Museum. The subject is accurately de-
scribed by the title. It is distinctly different from the general
run of books on insects. Classification of insects is restricted
to a single short chapter and anatomy is treated only when nec-
essary to explain function. The author states the aim of the
book as an attempt "to demonstrate insects as living organ-
isms." A list of the nineteen chapter headings will give the
reader a good idea of the ground covered: Introduction, struc-
ture and function; Feeding and Breathing, living cells and
protoplasm, blood and circulation, absorption, excretion; Move-
ment; Sensation and Reaction; Behavior, Instinctive and Intelli-
gent; Reproduction and Heredity; Growth and Transformation;
Family Life; Social Life; Adaptations to Haunts and Seasons;
Classification; Evolution; Insects and Other Organisms; Insects
and Mankind. The work, tho thoroly accurate and scien-
tific in its treatment, largely avoids strictly technical terms.
One who has had no entomological training whatsoever should
find the book entirely clear. It is a decidedly readable and worth
while book. It is well illustrated by sixteen plates and eighty-
eight text drawings. These, where not original, have been
drawn from the entire world, many from American publications,
giving to the book a cosmopolitical viewpoint.
"Spraying, Dusting and Fumigation of Plants" by A. Freeman
Mason. The first half of the book is a treatment of fungicides
and insecticides and is thoroly up-to-date. In the second half
of the book the author mostly takes up each family of economic
plants and attempts to treat of the chief insect pests and fun-
gous diseases. The space devoted to each crop is necessarily
brief. Of interest to Floridians is his chapter on Citrus. This
is not strictly up-to-date, aphids especially are not even men-
tioned. The grower of truck crops in Florida will look in vain
for some of his most destructive insects. On the whole, how-
ever, this will prove a very valuable reference work.
In "Leaf-Mining Insects" by Needham, Frost and Tothill (The
Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore) the authors bring together
the hitherto scattered literature on this subject. The life history

AUTUMN NUMBER

and biology of the insects are treated fully. This makes not
only an invaluable reference book but a very readable book as
well. Very complete lists of insects, bibliography, and indices
add to the value of the book.

THE MEXICAN CHICKEN BUG IN FLORIDA
By W. S. BLATCHLEY, Dunedin, Florida.
On July 20, 1928, I received from Prof. J. R. Watson a half
dozen specimens of a bug belonging to the bed-bug family,
Cimicidae, which had been taken near Lakeland, Fla. Prof. Wat-
son stated that a number of years ago he had taken the same
bug near Tavares, Lake County, and that "it is probably widely
distributed in Florida but not common anywhere." He added:
"I take it to be the chicken bed-bug, but am surprised not to
find it in your book," (Heteroptera of Eastern North America).
Prof. Watson was correct in his surmised common name of
the insect. I found it to be No. 839 of the Van Duzee Catalogue,
viz., Haematosiphon inodorus (Duges), commonly known as the
"Coruco" or Mexican chicken bug. As Van Duzee gives its dis-
tribution as "New Mexico, Texas, (Mexico)" and as I had no
knowledge of the Tavares, Fla., record, I did not include it in
the Heteroptera, which covers only the territory east of the
Mississippi River.
The insect was originally described' in 1892 as Acanthia,
inodora by Dr. Alfredo Duges, of Guanajuata, Mexico., ham-
pion, in 1900,2 founded for it the genus Haematosiphon. C. H.
Tyler Townsend states' that in southern New Mexico "it is an
unmitigated pest of poultry, swarming in great numbers in the
hen-houses, infesting the inmates and roosts, and covering the
eggs with the black specks of its excrement. By day the Corucos
stick to the hen-houses and roosts, awaiting the return of the
hens at night. It also spreads from the hen roosts to dwelling
houses, where it proves to be more formidable than the common
bed-bug. About the only way to keep poultry uninfested is to
keep them entirely out of doors and not to house them at all."
'La Naturaleza, (2) Vol. II, 1892, p. 169, pl. VIII, figs. 1-7.
2Biol. Centr. Amer., Heteroptera, II, p. 337.
3Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., III, 1894, p. 40.

THE FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST

Prof. Geo. M. List, of Ft. Collins, Colorado, our present day
authority on the North American species of the family Cimi-
cidae, informs me that he has records of H. inodorus from cen-
tral Kansas, but that it has not before been recorded from east
of the Mississippi River.
From the common bed-bug, Cimex lectularius Linn., the
chicken bug may be known by its smaller size (2.5-3 mm.),
more rotund form, more finely punctate upper surface and
especially by the much less deeply excavated front margin of
pronotum, the lateral angles of which do not project forward on
the sides of the head as in C. lectularius. The very short pu-
bescence of upper surface and long third antennal joint, which
is double the length of joint 4, distinguish it from our members
of the genus Oeciacus, which prey upon swallows.

THE SCARABAEIDAE OF FLORIDA
By W. S. BLATCHLEY
Dunedin, Florida
(Continued from page 30)

Genus XX. GEOTRUPES Latreille
Medium sized, broad, oval convex black, bluish or metallic
green beetles possessing the characters of the subfamily but
having the club of antennae lamellate as in most other Scara-
baeidae. In the first five species listed the elytra are free and
inner wings present. They feed mainly on cow dung and decay-
ing fungi.
*67. (13292). G. chalybeus Lec., 1878, 402.
Length 20-22 mm. Blackish-blue, very shining with metallic gloss;
elytra with rows of fine punctures, the sutural striae alone impressed; mid-
dle and hind tibiae without external apical ridge.
Described from Tampa. Gainesville and Lake City (Ag. Coll.);
Enterprise (Dietz). Apparently a rare species in the State.
68. (13293). G. blackburni (Fab.).
Length 13-16 mm. Black, feebly bronzed; thorax in this species and
the next with basal margin entire; elytra deeply striate, the striae finely
punctured; scutellum equilateral; spur of front tibiae of male only half
the length of outer apical tooth of tibiae.
Tallahassee (Sz. Ms.). Lake City, Feb. 11 (Ag. Coll.).
*69. (13294). G. egeriei Germ.
Length 16-17 mm. Head black, elytra dark green, shining, antennal
club yellow; scutellum distinctly wider than long; elytral striae coarsely

THE FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST

Prof. Geo. M. List, of Ft. Collins, Colorado, our present day
authority on the North American species of the family Cimi-
cidae, informs me that he has records of H. inodorus from cen-
tral Kansas, but that it has not before been recorded from east
of the Mississippi River.
From the common bed-bug, Cimex lectularius Linn., the
chicken bug may be known by its smaller size (2.5-3 mm.),
more rotund form, more finely punctate upper surface and
especially by the much less deeply excavated front margin of
pronotum, the lateral angles of which do not project forward on
the sides of the head as in C. lectularius. The very short pu-
bescence of upper surface and long third antennal joint, which
is double the length of joint 4, distinguish it from our members
of the genus Oeciacus, which prey upon swallows.

THE SCARABAEIDAE OF FLORIDA
By W. S. BLATCHLEY
Dunedin, Florida
(Continued from page 30)

Genus XX. GEOTRUPES Latreille
Medium sized, broad, oval convex black, bluish or metallic
green beetles possessing the characters of the subfamily but
having the club of antennae lamellate as in most other Scara-
baeidae. In the first five species listed the elytra are free and
inner wings present. They feed mainly on cow dung and decay-
ing fungi.
*67. (13292). G. chalybeus Lec., 1878, 402.
Length 20-22 mm. Blackish-blue, very shining with metallic gloss;
elytra with rows of fine punctures, the sutural striae alone impressed; mid-
dle and hind tibiae without external apical ridge.
Described from Tampa. Gainesville and Lake City (Ag. Coll.);
Enterprise (Dietz). Apparently a rare species in the State.
68. (13293). G. blackburni (Fab.).
Length 13-16 mm. Black, feebly bronzed; thorax in this species and
the next with basal margin entire; elytra deeply striate, the striae finely
punctured; scutellum equilateral; spur of front tibiae of male only half
the length of outer apical tooth of tibiae.
Tallahassee (Sz. Ms.). Lake City, Feb. 11 (Ag. Coll.).
*69. (13294). G. egeriei Germ.
Length 16-17 mm. Head black, elytra dark green, shining, antennal
club yellow; scutellum distinctly wider than long; elytral striae coarsely

AUTUMN NUMBER

crenately punctate; front tibiae of male with spur slender, almost as long
as outer apical tooth.
St. Augustine (Ham.). Dunedin, October 21, December 10, in
decaying fleshy fungi (B1.).
70. (1.3298). G. semiopacus Jekel.
Length 14-16 mm. Black, feebly shining; head without tubercles; basal
margin of thorax in great part wanting; elytra striate, striae not punctate,
intervals flat, smooth.
Lake City (Ag. Coll.). No definite published record from the
State.
71. (13299). G. splendidus (Fabr.).
Length 13-17 mm. Brilliant metallic green to dark bronze; head with
median tubercle; scutellum equilateral; elytra deeply striate, finely cre-
nately punctate; male in this and semiopacus with middle tarsi short and
thick.
Enterprise (Sz.); Gainesville (Ag. Coll.).
72. (13300). G. lethroides West.
Length 14.5-17 mm. Blackish-bronzed, opaque; thorax dissimilar in the
sexes; elytra connate, not striate or punctate, densely granulate, inner
wings absent; metasternum very short. Head of male tuberculate or with
a horn.
St. Augustine (Ham.); Enterprise (Dietz). The G. retusus
Horn is a synonym.
Subfamily ACANTHOCERINAE
Small oval convex shining beetles having the mandibles
corneous, prominent; antennae 10-jointed, club 3-jointed; scutel-
lum very large; front coxae conical, prominent; pygidium con-
cealed; ventral segments five, free; side pieces of mesosternum
reaching the oblique middle coxae. They live in the debris un-
der loose bark or in rotten wood, sometimes in carrion. Only
two genera represent the subfamily in the United States.
XXI. CLOEOTUS Germar
Body partly contractile; middle and hind tibiae thick. Other
characters as above given.
73. (13320). C. aphodioides (Ill.).
Length 4-4.5 mm. Blackish or purplish-bronzed, polished; elytra with
side margins entire, disk with rows of long, deeply impressed close-set
punctures.
Enterprise, rare (Sz.); Crescent City and Biscayne Bay (Sz.
Ms.) ; Citra (Dietz).
*74. (13321). C. globosus (Say).
Length 4-5 mm. Resembles the preceding; somewhat darker, the elytra
with side margins finely serrate and punctures more distant one from

THE FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST

another. Both species, when disturbed, fold themselves into a ball and
feign death.
Enterprise, rare (Sz.); Crescent City (Sz. Ms.); Lake Worth
(Ham.); Gainesville (Ag. Coll.). Dunedin, March 19-April 9,
taken by beating dead limbs in hammock; Jan. 20, at porch light
(Bl.),
Genus XXII. ACANTHOCERU'S MacLeay
Differs from Cloeotus in having the body perfectly contractile
and middle and hind tibiae compressed.
75. (13322). A. aeneus MacL.
"Bronzed; antennae and under surface ferruginous; front of head punc-
tate, occiput and thorax glabrous; elytra' punctate-ftriate, the punctures
indistinct." (MacLeay).
Enterprise "rare, beaten from dead vines." (Sz.); Haw Creek
(Sz. Ms.).

(To be continued)

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