June, 1908.] Wheeler: Studies ox Myrmecophiles. 



/ . 



very dissimilar, in the open field, and it is probable that this is the 

 more usual mating place. The beetles undoubtedly spend much of 

 their adult life with the ants. They certainly hibernate in the nests 

 as they were found both by Hamilton and myself in the early spring 

 (middle of April) in the upper galleries. Moreover, the dates above 

 mentioned (p. 68) show that they may be found in the nests as late 

 as July, August and September. It is probable, therefore, that the 

 eggs are laid in May and that the adult beetles make their appearance 

 towards the middle or latter part of the summer and then remain with 

 their hosts till the following spring. 



The genus Cremastochilus belongs to the Cetoniine subfamily of 

 the Scarabaeidse and has its closest allies, curiously enough, in certain 

 South African genera. These are in part myr- 

 mecophilous and in part termitophilous. To 

 the 'ormer group belong Plagiochilus ititrusus 

 Wasmann (1900), P. argenteus Wasm. and 

 Myrmecockilus marshalli Wasm. (Fig. 3), both 

 occurring in the nests of a very common South 

 African ant, Plagiolepis custodiens. To the 

 latter group belong five species of Ccenochilus 

 {termiticola Wasm., braunsi Wasm., glabra tits 

 Boh., hospes Peringuey and intrusus Per.). In 

 this same region there are also a number of 

 other myrmecophilous and termitophilous 

 Cetoniinae not so closely allied to Cremasto- 

 chilus. Peringuey ( 1 goo ) mentions Placodidus 

 comprans or and Trichoplus schaumi as occurring 

 in the nests of Plagiolepis, and species of 

 Scaptobius and Lissogenius as myrmecophiles. 

 The same author surmises that Trichostetha 

 capensis is termitophilous, and one who has seen this remarkable green 

 and black beetle, which measures nearly 30 cm. in length and has its 

 ventral surface covered with great tufts of orange-red hairs, can hardly 

 doubt that it lives with ants or termites. 



Other myrmecophilous Cetoniinae occur both in Europe ami in 

 North America. In the former country the larvae and pupre of Ceto- 

 nia floricola Herbst are very common in the nests of Formica rut a 

 and pratensis ; and in the United States, as Schwarz has shown, 

 Euphoria iuda L., hirtipes Horn and probably also E. pilosicollis 



Fig. 3. MyrmecochUus 

 marshalli Wasm. 4. 



(After Wasmann.) 



