﻿— 154— 

 Remarks on the Habits of some species of Cleridae. 



BY FRANK H. CHITTENDEN. 



Elasmocerus terminatus Say. — Last year at Staten Island, May 

 17th, I discovered in an infested grape vine a larva of Phymatodes 

 ■amosnus, to which was attached another larva engaged in devouring 

 It by absorbing its juices. The predaceous larva had begun opera- 

 tions at the caudal extremity of the Cerambycid, about one-quarter 

 of which was shriveled up. The remainder was intact, and the in- 

 sect was still alive when placed in alcohol two days later. A pupa 

 found at the same time was almost entirely white, greatly resembling 

 a hymenopterous pupa. On the i8th it had begun to color, the 

 elytra assuming a darker hue, and on the following day the species 

 Avas recognizable. 



Trichodes apivorus Germ. — I have found on the flowers of 

 Solidago and the New Jersey tea plant (Ceanothus americanus) during 

 July and August. Ithaca, N. Y. 



Cleriis rosmarus Say. — A specimen was observed last year 

 seated on the leaf of a shrub devouring a small Nitidulid, Cerais 

 ^bdommalis. Orange, N. J., June 9th. 



Thanasimiis diibitis Fab. is probably restricted, at least in its 

 adolescent stages, to the Coniferae. It appears early in the Spring 

 and preys upon pine-boring Scolytidae.- 



Clems thoraciais Oliv. is quite common in this vicinity, occur- 

 ring on a variety of deciduous trees during May and June. I have 

 l>red specimens from the following: Pear tree February nth and 

 March 2d; Butternut, March i8th; Chestnut, May ist to 14th; 

 Willow, April 8th. This species is undoubtedly predaceous, and I 

 suspect lives at the expense of various Cerambycid larvae. One 

 specimen reared from a Chestnut twig, attacked and made a meal 

 ofl" the abdomen of an Anthaxia, which had bred from the same 

 wood. 



Unfortunately, I have not preserved good specimens of the 

 larvae. Full grown specimens are about a quarter of an inch in 

 length, of a nearly uniform purplish hue, hairy, and the thorax is 

 ornamented by two dark spots. The last segment terminates in two 

 corneous appendages of a dark brown color. 



When full grown the larva forms a burrow, often in the disused 

 gallery of some Longicorn, or other wood borer, lining it with a 

 silvery silken substance. One of these burrows in my possession 

 measures 80 mm. in length and 2-3 mm. in diameter. 



