Vol. 35, pp. 125-128 October 17, 1922 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



THE FUNGOUS INSECT FAUNA OF A MESOPHYTIC 

 WOODS IN NEW JERSEY. 



BY HARRY B. WEISS. 



During the course of a survey of the plants and insects of a 

 moist woods, special attention was paid to the fungous insect 

 fauna and the following notes summarize the findings. 



The surveyed area consisted of about fifteen acres of moist 

 woods located at Monmouth Junction, N. J., on the lower border 

 of the Piedmont Plain and just above or on the southern edge 

 of the deciduous zone of New Jersey. The flora of this area was 

 typical of many of the numerous similar woods found in the 

 Piedmont Plain. The ground was moist with many wet spots 

 but seldom became swampy. Among the trees the red maple 

 was the dominant species. This together with the oaks 

 (palustris, rubra, alba) contributed over half the trees in the 

 woods, the balance consisting of ironwood, sweet gum and beech 

 with scattering clumps of gray birch in various stages of decay. 

 The shrubs consisted of viburnums, spice bush and elder. In 

 the more open spaces dense thickets of green briar prevailed. 



The rich fungus flora consisted mainly of polypores thriving 

 on the many trees and stumps in various stages of decay and 

 numerous species of gill fungi supported by the moist forest 

 floor. Among the fungi, most of the conspicuous forms belonged 

 to the Polyporaceae and Agaricaceae. Much of the dead wood 

 was occupied by such species as Polyporus versicolor, Polyporus 

 pargamenus, Daedalia quercina and similar coriaceus forms. In 

 the Agaricaceae those belonging to the genera Pleurotus, Pluteus, 

 Russula, Lactarius, Colhjbia and Clitocybe were the most con- 

 spicuous. The following table summarizes the fungous insect 

 findings by families. 



27— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 35, 1922. (125) 



