INSECTS 



Of the Bembian twenty-two species occur, including B. qmnquestria- 

 tum, B. ceneum^ B. articulatum and B. affine. 



The late Mr. Blatch's belief that he took B. adustum within the 

 Warwickshire borders is probably correct, as he found this insect in the 

 utmost profusion on the banks of the river Severn in a similar locality 

 to which he refers his Warwickshire record. 



The beautiful Lebia chlorocephala has lately been added to our list ; 

 it has however been previously taken a few miles beyond the county 

 boundary. Seven species of Dromius occur, the rarest of which is 

 D. quadrisignatus. 



The small but very active Bkchrus maurus was found by Mr. Blatch 

 at Leamington, the usual limits of this beetle being in the southern 

 counties and generally on or near the sea-coast. All the species of 

 Metabletus occur. 



The Hydradephaga are represented by sixty-three species. Brychius 

 e/evatus occurs plentifully between Solihull and the adjacent village of 

 Knowle, and of the genus Haliplus nine species have been taken within 

 our borders, some very plentifully ; but the species H. confinis., H. fu/vus, 

 H. cinereus and H. striatus are rare. Pelobius tardus has only occurred in 

 two localities, but could in all probability be obtained in several places 

 by systematic working. 



The Hydropori are represented by sixteen species, of which H. 

 umbrosus and H. angustatus are very rare, most of the other species being 

 abundant. 



Of the species of Agabus some are extremely plentiful, the rarer 

 ones being A. gutfafus, A. affinis, A, unguicularis, A. didymus and A. 

 sturmii. Amongst the other genera the following are the rarer species : 

 Copelatus agi/is, Rbantus exo/efus, Dytiscus punctulatus and Gyrinus opacus. 



The Hydropbilidce are represented in the county by fifty-four species, 

 a large proportion of which have been taken in the vicinity of Knowle, 

 although the scarcity of recorded localities is probably accounted for by 

 the fact that very little work amongst the water beetles has been done 

 outside this district. The following are the more important species : 

 Hydrobius picicrus, Pbilbydrus nigricornis, Holochares lividus, Laccobius alu- 

 faceus, L. minutes, L. bipunctatus, Limnebius picinus, Helopborus dorsalis, 

 Ocbtbebius poiveri, O. rufomarginafus, Hydrcena augustata (usually con- 

 sidered a more northerly insect) and H. pulchella. 



The Brachelytra, consisting of 777 British species, are represented in 

 Warwickshire by 480. A large proportion of the insects in this sec- 

 tion are small and extremely difficult to identify, due to the great simi- 

 larity existing between them, and it is owing to the large amount of 

 work which the late Mr. Blatch bestowed upon this naturally isolated 

 group that we can include so many species in our list. 



Many insects of this group are myrmecophilous, and good oppor- 

 tunities are afforded of studying the ants' nests in the well wooded 

 country in the vicinity of Knowle, which district forms part of the 

 ancient Forest of Arden. The particulars of each species have been 



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