2 BULLETIN 264, U. ,S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



It now seems probable that in some of these cases the rove-beetle 

 might have been the culprit. The complaints cover scatteringly a 

 span of 12 years. 



It has been hoped that something more definite than is recorded 

 concerning the life history of the insect could be learned before pub- 

 lication. The notes now presented, however, show conclusively the 

 injurious character of the insect, and the remedies advised and used 

 have proved perfectly successful, showing that it is not by any means 

 a difficult insect with which the gardener or florist has to cope. 



DESCRIPTIVE. 



The ant which this beetle especially resembles is known as the 

 pavement ant (Tetramorium caespitum L.). This ant often occurs 



in greenhouses, but when the two insects 

 are carefully compared the much larger 

 antennas, or " feelers," of the beetle will 

 readily be noticed. 



Apocellus sphaericollis belongs to the 

 group Oxytelini of the family Staphy- 

 linidse, and is the sole representative of 

 its genus occurring in the United States. 

 It was originally described by Say in 

 1834, under the name of Lathrobium 

 sphaericolle. The general appearance of 

 the insect is shown in the accompanying 

 illustration (fig. 1). The head is only 

 fig. i.— The violet rove-beetie slightly larger than the thorax, which is 



{Apocellus sphaericollis) : " 1 , _, 



Aduit. Greatly enlarged, somewhat rounded, lhe elytra or wing 



(Original.) covers are very short, as is usual in 



typical Staphylinidse. The femora or thighs are larger than those 

 of ants, but this is not noticeable at a distance when the insects are 

 at work. The total length of the insect is about 2.5 millimeters. 



October 14, 1901, Mr. L. J. Barber, Wheeler Road, near Congress 

 Heights, Washington, D. C, brought living specimens of this rove- 

 beetle, with report that it was injuring violets grown in hothouses, 

 particularly low-growing forms, but did not attack the high-growing 

 plants. He was positive that the beetles destroyed the flowers by 

 riddling them with holes, and in response to inquiry thought it quite 

 probable that they were introduced in manure that he was using. 



Injury was thought, both by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of the Bureau 

 of Entomology, who furnished the identification of the species, and 

 by the writer, to be due to some other insect, but Mr. Barber stated 

 otherwise. 



