Trogoxylon parallelopipedum (Melsheimer), a common and 
| destructive species, occurs throughout the United States. The 
; adult resembles the adult of the southern lyctus beetle, except 
| that it is somewhat smaller in average size and usually reddish in 
color. It is distinguished by the prominent, acute, anterior angles 
of the pronotum; a rounded, depressed postclypeus; and an 
abruptly expanded antennal club. It breeds in the same type and 
species of wood as the southern lyctus beetle. 
The winter is spent in the larval stage. Heaviest adult emer- 
gence and egg laying occurs in the spring. Adults of a second 
generation emerge in late summer or fall and lay the overwinter- 
ing supply of eggs. The adults crawl much more rapidly than do 
those of the southern lyctus beetle. Large numbers of adults once 
were observed on lumber sawed from green logs only two weeks 
earlier. Others were observed emerging from lumber that had been 
sawed from green logs only four or five months earlier (139). The 
related species, Trogoxylon aequale (Wallaston) and T. caseyi 
Lesne, have been recorded from Texas. 
Minthea rugicolis (Walker), a cosmopolitan species largely 
confined to the tropics, has been recovered at many points in the 
United States from wood products imported from abroad. 
FAMILY ANOBIIDAE 
DEATHWATCH AND DRUGSTORE BEETLES 
Members of the family Anobiidae breed in old dry sapwood and 
heartwood of both hardwoods and coniferous trees. In the forest, 
many species breed in twigs, while others attack large limbs and 
trunks. Many species also attack finished timber products, such 
as the girders, beams, and supports of old houses. Some also in- 
fest wooden furniture and other wood products in homes. Some- 
times timbers in structures that have escaped attack for more 
than 20 years become heavily infested and practically destroyed. 
Other materials in buildings are also attacked, including drugs and - 
groceries. Certain species are known as deathwatch beetles be- 
cause of the ticking sounds they make as they bore through the 
wood. 
Anobiid beetles are usually reddish brown to black, covered 
with fine yellow hairs, and from 1.5 to 8 mm. long. The head is 
hidden by the pronotum; the antennae are inserted on the sides 
of the head in front of the eyes, and are 11-segmented with the 
last three segments enlarged; the coxae of the front legs are 
small; and the tarsi are five-segmented, with the first segment 
longer than the second. Full-grown larvae are grub-shaped, 
whitish and about 8 mm. long. The tops of some or all of the 
segments are roughened with small points or hooks; the thoracic 
segments are enlarged; and the body is covered with long hairs. 
White (760) discussed the taxonomy of the species occurring in 
Ohio. Simeone (651) discussed the distribution of several species. 
As the larvae feed, they excrete small pellets of partly digested 
wood. These pellets differ from those excreted by drywood ter- 
mites in being smaller and in tapering toward each end. Pupation 
occurs in cells in the wood, and the adults emerge through small, 
usually oval holes about 1.8 to 3 mm. in diameter. Pellets usu- 
131 
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