HOW TO KNOW THE IMMATURE INSECTS 



84b. Apical segment of labial palpus minute; hypostomal rods paral- 

 lel. Fig. 278 Subfamily Smicripinae, MONOTOMIDAE 



Only two species of this interesting sub- 

 family are known for North America. They 

 are southern in their range. 



Fig. 278. a, Smicrips pol- 

 micolo Lee; b, Ventral 

 aspect of a half head. 



85a. Cardo (a) comparative small, narrow, often spindle-shaped and 

 longitudinally directed; or (b) large, about as long or longer than 

 stipes, triangular, and immovable, without posterior condyle. 



Fig. 279 Family NITIDULIDAE 



The family comprises some 2,500 

 species. The larvae are mostly sapro- 

 phagous. They are found in fruit and 

 garbage dimips, in cereals, under 

 bark of dead trees, in galleries of 

 woodboring beetles and in ants' nests. 

 Several genera are predacious upon 

 aphids and scale-insects. Pupation 

 takes place in a cell in the soil. 

 85b. Cardo (a) moderate size, subtriangular, much shorter than stipes 

 and obliquely directed; or (b) fused with stipes to a large, movcdsle 



structure with a posterior condyle 86 



86a. Mentum well developed and free to base. 



Fig. 280 ^ Family SPHINDIDAE 



Fig. 279. a, Glischrochi- 

 lus obtusus Say; b, Ven- 

 tral aspect of head. 



Fig. 280. Sphindus omericonus Lee 



Present day knowledge of this 

 family is quite limited. The larvae 

 are found under bark and in fun- 

 gi. Only a few species are re- 

 corded for North America. 



86b. Mentum not well developed, often fused with 

 submentum, only free apically. Fig. 281 87 



n 



mBMEUTUt^ 



Fig. 281. 

 Labium. 



107 



