338 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Nov. , '06 



Notes on the Habits of Cicindela. 



By Richard Moore, M. D., Rochester, N. Y. 



The following notes were made during a term of enforced 

 idleness, and although these observations on the habits of 

 Cicindela repanda and purpurea may be common knowledge to 

 most entomologists, I have never seen them in print and they 

 may be new to some. 



Their habits were studied both in the field with the use of an 

 opera glass, and while they were confined in a box with glass 

 sides. This cage was placed on a table and allowed the observa- 

 tion of their actions to be made with the greatest ease. 



Besides the usual habitat of dirt roads, paths in grassy 

 swards and bare places generally, C. purpurea was found in 

 fields where the grass was short and sparse, with small open 

 places the size of one's hand. In such places they do not flush 

 easily, and instead of flying when disturbed made their escape 

 by running in and out of the grass, hiding under a tuft of 

 grass, more like a carabid than a cicindelid. In the early 

 spring, on hot days, they were found in numbers in such 

 places, very lively and active. In August and September they 

 were found only in roadways and lanes where the grass has 

 been worn away by travel, disporting themselves more soberly 

 than their spring brethren. They are strong fliers, but usually 

 content themselves with short excursions, unless persistently 

 pursued. When pursued they fly a few feet farther down the 

 path, then alight; this will be repeated once or twice, but if 

 still disturbed, they turn from the path and alight in the grass 

 alongside of it. They are strong and rapid runners, and after 

 dropping in the grass, run with great rapidity towards an 

 open space and either take flight immediately or lie crouched 

 to the ground, ready to take wing if further disturbed. They 

 are diurnal in habit, but in the early spring and summer, if the 

 day was hot, they remained active until late in the evening 

 and then retired for the night under a chip of wood or stone. 

 In late summer and fall they were found on cloudy and cool 

 days, in small burrows, dug at the foot of clayey banks or even 

 in the sides of a wagon rut, lying in wait for any small insect 

 that may come near, rushing out at these, and, if making a cap- 



