A Beneficial Beetle Recently Found on Staten Island ^ 



William T. Davis 



On May lo, 191 5, the writer found a specimen of the large, 

 introduced, predaceous beetle, Carabus nemoralis Mull., on the 

 sidewalk of Henderson Ave., near Bard Ave., West New 

 Brighton. This is the first record of the insect on Staten Island. 

 As it destroys caterpillars, etc., its introduction is rather a benefit 

 than otherwise. 



In the collection of the American Museum of Natural History 

 there is a beetle of this species labeled " Van Cortlandt P'k, 

 May 8, 1908. ist specimen found in N. Y. State. G. W. J. 

 Angell." 



I quote the following from the published minutes of the meet- 

 ing of the New York Entomological Society, held January 19, 

 1909 (see Jour. N. Y. Entom. Soc. 17: 93. June 1909): "Mr. 

 Olsen reported the capture of two specimens of Carabus 

 nemoralis at Winfield, Long Island, . . . Mr. Angell said that 

 Carabtis nemoralis, which is a European insect, was first taken 

 some twenty years ago by Mr. Clarence Riker, of Maplewood, 

 N. J. Later it was found in some numbers under an old board- 

 walk at Cambridge, Mass., and last year he had reported speci- 

 mens from the Bronx, New York City. The present captures 

 seemed to indicate that the insect was becoming established, 

 although these may have been introduced with some imported 

 plants, as the locality is not far from Floral Park." 



Mr. Christian E. Olsen has since informed the writer that he 

 took the two individuals referred to on July 3, 1908, and Mr. 

 George Angell has stated that Mr. Riker's specimens of C. 

 nemoralis did not come from Maplewood, N. J., but from St. 

 Johns, New Brunswick. 



1 Presented at the meeting of the Section of Biology May 20, 1915. 



92 



