70 Psijche [June 



sarcophagous families; second, genera in phytophagous famihes, of 

 which the species occasionally or frequently resort to flowers, and 

 finally families which are largely anthophilous. 



Anthophily of the Sarcophagous Families. 



Carnivorous families, especially where they live upon the ground 

 or are aquatic, are not likely to visit flowers. None of the terrestrial 

 Cicindellidse (tiger beetles), or aquatic Dytiscidse (water tigers), 

 which are highly predaceous both in the larval and adult stages, 

 have ever been observed feeding on pollen or nectar. Among the 

 predaceous Carabidse, or ground beetles, Lebia is the only genus 

 which has become widely anthophilous.^ Knuth, who saw 

 Carabus cancellatus on the Island of Fohr devouring the flowers of 

 Thymus Serpyllum, expresses the opinion that the most markedly 

 predaceous beetles may occasionally visit flowers, but such visits 

 are clearly accidental.^ Frost in Massachusetts also saw Harpalus 

 caliginosus eating the seeds of Ambrosia artemisifolia. Although 

 living chiefly beneath stones, logs and rubbish, a part of the 

 Carabidse occasionally ascend plants in search of insect larvae; thus 

 Morris relates that he has "once taken Calosoma scrutator, and 

 several times C. calidum on the foliage of the white pine, these 

 enterprising ground beetles poaching on the arboreal preserves for 

 caterpillars; many of the diurnal fireflies, which are carnivorous, 

 may be found resorting to foliage for the same purpose." ^ Plant- 

 lice and the pollen of grasses and the Compositse have likewise been 

 found in the stomachs of many species.^ Nine species of Lebia, 

 of which L. ornata and L. viridis are the most common, appear in 

 the New England list; eight species have been collected on Solidago, 

 a half dozen specimens being found at times on a single inflores- 

 cence; but a variety of other flowers are also visited as recorded. 

 These small beetles still feed partially on Aphides and insect eggs, 

 and it was undoubtedly the search for food on foliage which led to 

 flower- visiting. The constriction of the head behind the eyes into 

 a neck, and the fringe of hairs on the inner margin of the maxillae 

 cannot be regarded as special adaptations to anthophily, since the 



1 According to Blatchley, Callida punctata is often found on flowers. "The Coleoptera in 

 Indiana," p. 152. 



2 Knuth, Paul, "Handbuch der Bliitenbiologie," Vol. 1, p. 221. 



3 Morris, F. J. A., "Beetles Found about Foliage," Can. Ent., Vol. 43, p. 111. 



4 Blatchley, W. S., "The Coleoptera in Indiana," p. 37. 



