(>28 FAM]I;V XXVr. NITIDILID.E. 



Putnam County; viwv. \\)\\\ 17. Sifted frum debris near a 

 liillside spi'inyf. 



Family XX\'I. X ITI I Xl.lDJv 



The Sap-peedin(; I^eetees. 



This is a family of medium size, eomprising small and usually 

 somewhat flattened beetles. Tn most species the thorax has widt'. 

 thin side margins and the elytra are often truncate at apex, thus 

 leaving the end of the abdomen exposed. In food habits they vary 

 much, a few being found on flowers and others on fungi or carrion. 

 The great majority, however, feed on the sa]) or juices of various 

 trees and fruits, especially that which has begun to ferment or sour. 

 They can be found in numbers in vnvW spring wherever sap exudes 

 from trees, especially those of mai)le. 



Dury saj's that he has trapped hundreds by laying chips on top 

 of a freshly cut maple stump. Under these chips, in a day or two, 

 were congregated twenty or more species and hundreds of indi- 

 viduals. A mixture of vinegar witli brown sugar or molasses will 

 also attract them if spread on a log in the woods and then covered 

 with chips. In late summer and early autumn certain species, es- 

 pecially those of Ips, are often found in or under partially decayed 

 apples, pears or melons. They are therefore to be classed as in- 

 noxious, rather than either beneficial or harmful in habit; though 

 the larvae of the genera Ips, Carpophilus and Bhizophagus have 

 hefen shown to be, in part at least, carnivorous, subsisting upon the 

 soft bodied larvae of other beetles which live under bark. 



The name Nitidula, applied by Fabricius to the typical geinis. 

 is very ina|)pi-opriate for the family, since it literally means shiinitj) 

 or (l((i<i}il, wliereas the great majority of the species are clothed 

 with a fine pubescence w hidi dot's not permit of theii" shining to any 

 great extent. 



The ])rinci})al diameters distinguishing the Nitidu- 

 lidu' are: Antennas 11- rarely 10-jointed, terminatin;;' 

 in a round or oval club of three, rarely two, joints and 

 inserted under the margin of the front; thorax with 

 base sometimes closely uniting with that of elytra. 

 Kg. 237. xitiduUi. sometimes passing over the base of the latter (Fig. 



1, front tarsus; 2, an- £,,,— \ ^ i 11 i • • o 



tenna. (After West- Mi) ; olvtra usually truucate. somctimes entire; iront 

 coxu' transverse, sepai'ated, not pi'omineiit ; middle 

 and hind coxa' transvei'se, (iat, widely sepai-ated, th(! latter extend- 

 ing almost to the mai'gin of the body; abdomen with five free ven- 



