THE FIREFLIES OR LIGHTNING BUGS. 



831 



Throughout the State; frequent. June 3- June 27. One spe- 

 cies with thorax wholly pale is referred to var. flavicollis Lee. ; this 

 being a variety of modest us and not of l>a*Harix, as the form of the 

 thorax and relative length of antenna! joints plainly show. 



1579 (4889). PODABRUS TOMENTOSUS Say, Journ. 

 Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., V, 1825, 



165 ; ibid. II, 275. 



Elongate, slender, parallel. Head, thorax, two 

 basal joints of antennae, abdominal margin and fe- 

 mora reddish-yellow ; remainder of antennae, tibiae 

 and tarsi dusky; elytra black with fine grayish pu- 

 bescence. Thorax quadrate; disk finely and sparse- 

 ly punctate, with distinct median line. Length 9- 

 12 mm. (Fig. 324.) 



Throughout the Slate; common. .May 21- 

 Oetober 15. Occurs most abundantly on 1 1n- 

 greater ragweed, Ambrosia trifida L.. along 

 the borders of streams; also noted at electric light. 



Fig. 324. x 21 

 (Original.) 



1580 (4890). PODABRUS PROTENSUS Lee., New Sp. N. Am. Col., 1866, 91. 

 Elongate, slender. Blackish; front of head, thorax, legs, basal fifth 



and outer margin of elytra as far as middle, reddish-yellow. Thorax slightly 

 longer than wide, sides feebly curved; disk very finely and sparsely punc- 

 tate; dorsal line deep. Second and third joints of antennae nearly equal 

 and together longer than fourth. Length 11-14 mm. 



Clark. Jefferson and Perry counties; scarce. May 21-June 17. 

 In some specimens, var. faiji Lee., the elytra are wholly dull yellow. 



1581 (4891). PODABRVS BRUNNICOLLIS Fab., Syst. Eleut, I, 1901, 298. 

 Resembles the preceding but more slender. Front of head, sides of 



thorax, mai-gins of elytra, legs and base of antennae yellow. Back of head 

 and disk of thorax coarsely punctured. Thorax longer than wide, the sides 

 parallel, not rounded. Length 7-10 mm. 



Orange County: scarce. May 2S-.June '2. Beaten from foliage 

 of oak, hickory and wild grape. 



XIX. SILIS Latr. 1S2!). (Or., "pug-nosed.") 



Small oblong species having the thorax brooder than long and. 

 in the male, notched near the hind angles and bearing two processes 

 on each side near the base. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OE SIIJS. 



(i. Base of thorax lobed, deeply foveate inside of hind angles ; notch near 

 the base deep, the appendage behind notch long, compressed and 

 rounded at tip. 1:182. PERCOMIS. 



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