ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 47 



NOTES ON A FEW CANADIAN COLEOPTERA. 



By W. Hague Harrington, F R.S.C, Ottawa. 



Hippodamia 5, signata, Kirby. — Fig. 31 (much enlarged) In the summer of 1893 I 

 collected in a swampy meadow some coccinellids with the hope of obtaining 

 hymenopterous parasites from them. In this I was not sut^cessful, but from 

 a specimen of the species named there emerged two individuals of a small, 

 white hair snake (Gordius 1) about two inches long. 



BracJiyacantha tirsina, Fab. This beetle has been very abundant at 

 Octawa the past two seasons, although formerly I had only found occasional 

 individuals. During July and August it occurred commonly upon milk- 

 weeds About the end of April last year, in examining colonies of ants un- 

 der stones, I discovered in a colony of the small brown ant {Lasius alienus) ^'^- ^^• 

 four larvae which were devouring plant-lice, which were feeding upon the roots of grass 

 after having been wintered by the ants. These larvae were whitish and powdery, like the 

 aphides themselves, and were 6 mm. long and 2 mm. wide tapering only slightly to- 

 ward the extremities. Recognizing them as coccinellid larvae, I secured them and placed 

 one in alcohol. The remaining three were kept in a small jar with a few of the aphides, 

 but they did not appear to eat any more, and a daji or two later had gathered in a group 

 and formed for themselves almost globular cocoons of white fl )cculent secretions, in which 

 they pupated. The imagos emerged between the 15th and 20ch June, and proved to be 

 B. ursina, whose larval habits have not been described so tar as I can ascertain with the 

 literature at hand. 



Antherophagus ochraceus, Melsh. This beetle is found sparingly upon flowers, such 

 as the spiked-maple, goldenrod, etc. On one occasion I observed a humble bee (Bo/nbus 

 terricola), upon a currant bush, and evidently in trouble. Closer observation showed that 

 some small insect had seized her by the end of her tongue, and was retaining its hold in 

 spite of the bee's frantic exertions to dislodge it with her front legs. I secured the bee in 

 my cyanide bottle and when she was dead found that her assailant was still attached to 

 her tongue, and was a specimen of A. ochraceus. They ate still together in my cdbinet. 

 Dr. Riley has, I think, mentioned this species as occurring in the nests of Bombus, but 

 I cannot find the reference at present. Had the beetle in this instance merely attached 

 itself to the bee by accident, or was it intent on getting free transportation to the bee's 

 nest % If the latter were the case it probably intended to attach itself to the leg, and 

 seized the tongue in mistake. 



Oestndes tenuicoUis, Rand. This rather pretty elater has been one of the beetles 

 which I had always Vjeen expecting to turn up at Ottawa, but which I had never found 

 until this summer, when several were taken upon goldenrods on an island below the 

 city, and one also in a field in the suburbs. 



Poecilonota cyanipes, Say. This fine little buprestid is rare, and onjy occasionally 

 found upon willows and poplars, upon the former of which one specimen was taken dur- 

 ing the past season. 



Anthaxia aeneogaster. Lap., {Inornata, Ran^i.) The habits of this pretty little species 

 appear to be somewhat different to those of our other species of Anthaxia, which are gen- 

 erally obtained by beating trees during the summer, whereas this species usually is found 

 earlier in the season, and nearly always on flowers, such as trilliuras, etc. Three were 

 taken on the 20th June last in the flowers of Cypripedium pubescens, the Yellow Ladies' 

 Slipper. 



Hydnocera difficilis, Lee. Last spring I collected a number of the small, round, flat 

 spider'nests, which may be commonly found adhering to stones. They are of a tough 

 consistence, and somewhat glistening surface, but I do not know the name of the species 

 which constructs them. They are frequently infested by a Pezon achus, thn oblong cocoon 

 of which can easily be seen when the spider's cocoon is held up to the light. From one 

 of the cocoons which I supposed to contain a Pezomachus there came forth a beetle of 

 this species. The hole cut by it w*s more irregular than the orifice by which the hymen- 

 opterous parasite issues, and exposed to view within the exuvise of the beetle. 



