1915J Lovell — Origin of Anthophily among the Coleoptera 75 



serted in the thorax and permits the Elateridse to feed only on 

 exposed nectar; accordingly, the common genera Agriotes, Co- 

 rymbites, Elater and Melanotus are found chiefly on the inflor- 

 escence of Rubus, Viburnum, Prunus and Cornus. 



The Buprestidse, which superficially resemble the Elateridse, are 

 most abundant in the tropics and are of little significance in 

 pollination either in Europe or North America. The larvae are 

 wood-borers, and the mature beetles live on vegetation. A single 

 species {Acmaeodera tuhulus) has been taken in New England by 

 Frost on the flowers of Geranium, Viburnum and Rubus; the same 

 species, according to Blatchley, is very common in Indiana on 

 Geranium maculatiim. Knuth lists only three species of this 

 family for North America. 



The leaf-beetles or Chrysomelidse have attained their highest 

 development in the more recent periods according to Leconte and 

 Horn; ^ the species are diurnal, of small or medium size, and are 

 classed as dystropous by Loew. In both the larval and adult 

 stages this family is very destructive to foliage, and the ravages of 

 the potato beetle have been little less than a national calamity. 

 Since their round or oval forms, retracted head partially or wholly 

 concealed beneath the thorax and short legs, are ill-adapted to 

 anthophily, the New England list contains only 20 species belonging 

 to 16 genera. It is clearly impossible for this immense family of 

 ravenous feeders to become exclusively anthophilous, for the flower 

 food available would be wholly inadequate to their requirements; 

 but there are, doubtless, a large number of occasional visitors. No 

 genus in x4.merica is more common or has been taken on a greater 

 variety of flowers than Diabrotica. 



The entire life cycle of many leaf-beetles is passed on a single 

 plant species or genus. Donacia 'piscatrix is found in the flowers of 

 Nymphoea advena, while the larvae mine in the stems and leaves. 

 Donacia emarginata, near New York City, is very common on the 

 bright yellow flowers of Caltha palustris half buried among the 

 stamens. The pupal cocoons are attached to the stems just 

 above the roots, and the beetles emerge as the flowers expand and 

 climb the stems to obtain flower food.^ All of the species of 

 Donacia are commonly found on aquatic or marsh plants. Crio- 



1 Blatchley, W. S., "The Coleoptera in Indiana," p. 1096. 



2 Woodruff, L. B. "Donacia emarginata," Can. Ent., Vol. 45, p. 210. 



