76 



BULLETIN 417, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Museum specimens indicate that this species has been collected at an 

 altitude of 4,400 to 6,000 feet in New Mexico and Texas. It has also 

 been taken in Arizona, California, Kansas, and New Mexico. Numer- 

 ous cases are also on % record of the species having been collected in 

 Mexico. 



COLLECTIONS AND SHIPMENTS. 



Dr. A. W. Morrill, of Phoenix, Ariz., in the latter part of August, 

 1912, wrote that both adults and larva? of this species were fairly 

 common near Prescott, Ariz., and were feeding upon the variegated 

 cutworm. He forwarded to the laboratory at the same time one pair 

 of live adults and four third-stage larvae, two of which were dead on 

 arrival. Under date of October 8, five pairs of adults, one female 

 of which was dead, were received from Mr. L. L. Bates, Prescott, 

 Ariz., an assistant of Dr. Morrill. The beetles were placed in jars of 

 earth for study. 



HABITS OF ADULTS. 



One pair of the beetles received October 8 were put at the base of 

 the tree to test their ability to climb. (Plate III.) Both beetles 

 climbed to the top of the tree without urging and remained there until 

 removal. They were left at the base of the tree in the afternoon and 

 on the following morning were again found at the top. The beetles 

 climb rather slowly in comparison to adults of C. frigidum Kirby, or 

 sycophanta L., and probably secure most of their food near the ground. 



FEEDING RECORDS OF ADULTS. 



Beginning October 8, 1912, daily feeding records were kept of two 

 pairs in the hope that they might reproduce. The jars were kept 

 inside the laboratory and the beetles remained active until December 

 2, when the food supply became exhausted. On this latter date the 

 jars were transferred to the cellar and the beetles entered hibernation 

 in a few days. 



Table 20. — Feeding record of two pairs of Caloso 



via peregrinator, 1912. 



Pair 

 No. 



Record 

 started. 



Trans- 

 ferred 

 to cellar 

 for 

 hiber- 

 nation. 



Full- 

 grown 

 larvae 

 and pupae 

 of Portia 

 rapse 

 and 

 Plusia 

 brasskse 



con- 

 sumed. 



5867. 

 5868. 



Oct. 8... 

 ...do 



Dec. 2... 334 

 ...do 268 



| 



From 10 to 16 full-grown larvae were consumed some days by a 

 single pair. The average larvae consumed per day for the first pair, 

 No. 5867, during the feeding period was 6. The beetles in question 

 did not reproduce during the fall of 1912. The same pair issued from 

 hibernation June 8 and had consumed 122 fifth and sixth stage larvae 

 of Malacosoma americana and Porthetria disparby July 21. On this 

 date the male died, and as the female ate very little the record was 

 discontinued temporarily. On September 10 the female beo-an feed- 



