1921] Wheeler: Habits of Cucujidae 177 



by the var. punicetts Mann. The larva is said to be predatory 

 (Le Baron, 1874; J. B. Smith, 1909). Le Baron (1874) figures 

 the larva; Dimmock (1884) records the adult beetle as occurring 

 under decaying butter-nut bark. Hamilton (1886) gives the 

 following account of the insect: "The very depressed form of 

 this well known beetle indicates, a priori, its subcortical habit, 

 and no other has power to adapt its tastes to a greater variety 

 of timber — locust, maple, oak, hickory, gum, buckeye, etc. — are 

 all alike to it. The larvse do not eat the wood nor the bark, 

 living apparently on the moisture existing between the two. They 

 are elongate, much depressed, brownish yellow, and scarcely to 

 be distinguished from those of Dendroides canadensis. Some- 

 time in September, the larva having matured, constructs a circu- 

 lar cell from small particles of the decaying bark and wood, and 

 in this completes its transformations before severe frost, but the 

 beetle does not quit the cell till the following spring. I have 

 never known any of these insects to be taken elsewhere than 

 under bark, though they undoubtedly fly, being possessed of a 

 good pair of wings. On the 10th of October, fifteen newly dis- 

 closed individuals and several pups were taken under the bark 

 of a gum log ; the latter are depressed like the beetle, pale at first, 

 the eyes, antennae and portions of the legs gradually changing 

 to black, and the elytra becoming red after disclosure. This 

 insect is annual." 



Cucuj'us haematodes Erich. — Europe. In Germany under 

 bark of maples, rarer under bark of fir-stumps (Reitter, 1911). 



Cucujus cinnaberinus Scop. — Europe. Habits like those of 

 haematodes (Reitter, 1911). 



Dendrophagus crenatus Payk.— Europe. In Germany under 

 oak bark; gregarious (Kaltenbach, 1874) ; in Britain under bark 

 of fir (Pinus sylvestris), less frequently under bark of larch 

 (Larix europxa) (White, 1872; Fowler, 1889). According to 

 White the larva has been supposed to be carnivorous, but is truly 

 phytophagous, feeding on the decaying inner bark of dead and 

 usually prostrate trees of the species mentioned. The beetles are 

 agile and seem to come out at night and run about on the bark. 

 The eggs seem to be laid in the spring by hibernating females ; 

 the larvag feed twelve to fourteen months, becoming pupae during 



