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FAMILY XXXVir. ELATERID2E. 



face sparsely but distinctly punctate. Elytra with sides parallel to apical 

 third, thence feebly converging to a rounded apex ; strife indistinctly punc- 

 tate; intervals very finely punctulate. Length 6.5-7 mm. 



Dnbois County ; rare. May 27. Beaten from oak. A member 

 of the Austroriparian fauna, described from Alabama. 



1373 (4185). MONOCREPIDIUS VESPERTINUS Fab., Syst. Eleut, II, 1801, 200. 



Elongate, slender, subconvex. Color 

 variable, usually yellow beneath and 

 dark reddish-brown above, with middle 

 and sides of thorax and a broad stripe 

 from humerus two-thirds to apex of 

 elytra and a spot on the latter, yellow ; 

 rarely nearly black with one or two 

 small spots, tips and huuieri of elytra. 

 yellow ; scutellum always yellowish. 

 Thorax one-fourth longer than wide, 

 narrowed in front; sides feebly curved, 

 sinuate in front of hind angles, which 

 are rather long, acute and with a 

 feeble carina close to edge. Elytra 

 all three striate, the stri:e indistinctly punctate ; 

 intervals nearly flat, very finely pimc- 

 tulate. Length 7.5-10 mm. 



Throughout the State; frequent. -June 22-August 11. Occurs 

 on mullein and foliage of various trees. (Fig. 280.) The larva 

 is said to prey upon beans, and is also injurious to cotton in the 

 Southern States. 



*1374 (4100). MONOCREPIDIUS AXJRITUS Hbst., Kafer, X, 1800, 145. 



Oblong, robust. Color above exceedingly variable, three distinct types 

 being usually present. These are (a) uniform piceous or piceous with only 

 a median stripe on thorax reddish; (b) dull red. with two small spots on 

 thorax, one on elytra surrounding scutellum, and a subapical crossbar, 

 black; (c) red, with two stripes on thorax, margin, suture and apex of 

 elytra black; beneath piceous or fuscous, legs and two basal joints of an- 

 tenna? yellow. Thorax convex, scarcely longer than wide, sides obtusely 

 rounded, hind angles nearly straight, finely carinate; surface densely, deeply 

 and rather coarsely punctate. Elytra with sides parallel to apical fourth, 

 thence slightly curved to a broadly rounded apex ; disk striate, stride punc- 

 tured; intervals subconvex, finely but roughly punctulate. Length 5-7 mm. 



Throughout the State ; common. March 4-December 25. Hi- 

 bernates beneath mullein leaves, logs and rubbish along fence rows 

 and on side hills, especially in sandy localities. Mates in May and 

 June. 



a 



Fig. 280. Monocrrpedius rcsperHnus. 

 side view; 6, larva, dorsal view; c, beetl 

 times natural size.. (After Chittenden, Bull. 33, N. 

 Ser. Div. Ent,, U. S. Dep. Agr.) 



*1375 (4101). MONOCREPIDIUS BELLUS Say, Journ. Phil. Acad. Nat. 



Ill, isi>:;. liJS; ibid. II. 108. 



Oblong, subcouvex. Black, sparsely pubescent; thorax with a median 

 line and hind angles reddish ; elytra dull red, each with two or three black 



