Thanasimus dubius (F.) is one of the most important predators of the destructive 
bark beetles in the Eastern United States (95, 445, 568). The adult is a brightly 
colored, hairy beetle about 7 to 10 mm long. The head, thorax, and base of the 
wing covers are dull red; the antennae and legs are red to pitch black; and the wing 
covers are mostly black with crossbands of whitish hairs. The larva is elongate, 
fusiform, and purplish with brown sclerotized areas. 
Winter is spent in the larval, pupal, or adult stages. In early spring, the adults 
emerge and fly to beetle-infested trees or logs and feed on bark beetles as they 
emerge from hibernation. Eggs are deposited in entrances to bark beetle galleries. 
Young larvae feed on bark beetle eggs; older ones feed on beetle larvae, pupae, and 
adults. Pupation occurs in cells in the outer bark (590). 
Enoclerus nigripes (Say) larvae feed on bark beetles in conifers, and on wood 
borers in hardwoods. Adults are brightly colored and about 8 to 12 mm long. The 
head, thorax, base of the wing covers, and the undersides are dull red; the 
remainder is black except for two yellowish crossbars on the wing covers. The 
larvae are similar to those of 7. dubius. The blackbellied clerid, EF. lecontei 
(Wolcott), has many hosts including bark beetles and weevils in pine, spruce, and 
juniper. It also feeds on bark beetles, weevils, and small borers in hardwoods. 
Monophylla terminata (Say) feeds on borers and bark beetles in hardwoods. 
There also are reports of its feeding on white pine weevil larvae in white pine. 
Adults are about 4 to 8.5 mm long. The eyes are deeply notched in front, the last 
joint of the antenna 1s as large or larger than all of the others combined, the thorax is 
yellow with a black disk, and the sides of the wing covers are yellow. The larvae are 
white, soft-textured, and bear two well-separated hooks on the ninth abdominal 
segment. 
Cymatodera bicolor (Say) 1s an important enemy of roundheaded and flatheaded 
borers in hardwoods in the Eastern United States. Adults are about 5 to 10 mm 
long. The color is dull blackish except for the legs, thorax, and basal joints of the 
antennae which are reddish yellow mixed with black. The larvae are purplish. 
Tarsostenus univittatus (Rossi) is an important predator of powderpost beetles 
and other borers in dry, seasoned wood. The adult is small, slender, and shiny black 
except for a white mark across the middle of the elytra. The larva is very small and 
a light violet, except for brown or yellow markings. There are two recurved hooks 
on the ninth abdominal segment. 
Neichnea laticornis (Say) feeds on various species of bark beetles in the Middle 
Atlantic States. The adults are small, slender, and black except for a spot on the 
head and the sides of the thorax, which are golden yellow. 
Many other clerids are also predacious on various forest insects in the Eastern 
States. Priocera castenae Newman feeds on bark beetles in conifers; Phlogistoster- 
nus dislocatus (Say) and Orthopleura damicornis (F.) feed on the larvae of borers 
and bark beetles in the twigs of hardwoods; Cregya oculata (Say) feeds on larvae of 
borers. and bark beetles in both hardwoods and conifers. Descriptions of clerids 
occurring in Ohio are available (683). 
Family Dermestidae 
Dermestid Beetles 
Dermestid beetles are compact, oval to convex, and usually extremely hairy. 
Some are spotted with gray, brown, or orange hairs which rub off easily. The larvae 
are cylindrical and covered with long hairs. Some larvae are soft; others are hard- 
shelled. 
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