1915] Lovcll — Origin of Anthophily among the Coleopfcra 71 



former occurs in Galerita which is wholly carnivorous, and the 

 latter in genera which never visit flowers. 



The Staphylinidse, or rove-beetles, characterized by the short 

 elytra, while partially saprophagous, are more generally carnivorous 

 than is commonly supposed. Of the four anthophilous genera 

 listed for New England, Anthobium, which includes very small 

 beetles feeding largely upon pollen, is the most important. 

 A. pothos has been taken by the writer devouring the anthers of 

 Clintonia horealis; and in Indiana A. coTivexwn is especially common 

 on the flowers of the red-berried elder (Scmibucus racemosa),^ 

 which is devoid of nectar (pollen flowers). The rich proteid 

 content of pollen naturally renders it an attractive food to carni- 

 vorous beetles. The Carabidse and Staphylinidse well illustrate 

 how diflficult it is for predaceous families living upon the ground to 

 acquire the anthophilous habit. 



The larvse of the Coccinellidte are common on foliage where they 

 feed chiefly on Aphides, while the beetles not infrequently resort to 

 flowers, as is shown by the seventeen species listed. The tendency 

 to seek floral food is most stxongly manifested in. the genera 

 Coccinella and Hippodamia. In consequence of their short legs 

 and round or oblong-oval forms the lady-bugs are exceedingly 

 awkward and inefficient flower visitors, and are of little significance 

 in pollination. They climb smooth stems with great difficulty and 

 I have seen one of these beetles slip backward five or six times before 

 it succeeded in ascending a pedicel of an umbel of Aralia hispida. 

 After examining the contents of the stomachs of 39 species Dr. S. 

 A. Forbes concluded that "the function of the beetles of this family 

 of limiting the multiplication of plant-lice is expressed by the fact 

 that these insects compose a fourth of the food of the entire col- 

 lection. The pollen of grasses and the Compositse make 14 per 

 cent, and the spores of lichens 4 per cent, and those of fungi 45 per 

 cent., or nearly half the whole." ^ While the Coccinellidse consume 

 a much larger quanity of pollen and spores than of nectar, they 

 may be found occasionally sucking on small open flowers. 



Ten species of the Dermestidse, so destructive to decaying animal 

 substances, skins, dried insects, feathers, woolens and carpets, have 

 been taken in New England on flowers. Like the Coccinellidse 



iBlatchley, W. S., "The Coleoptera in Indiana," p. 487. 

 '"Coleoptera in Indiana," p. 507. 



