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Psyche 
[Vol. 92 
Hum in laboratory cultures, they may eat it only facultatively under 
natural conditions. 
Newton (1984) noted that species in several genera of aleocharines 
have been implicated as mycophagous. However, with the exception 
of the Gyrophaenina, fungus feeding by members of any aleocharine 
species had not been demonstrated. In general, this unexpected feed- 
ing habit of specimens of M. venustula suggests that fungus feeding, 
and perhaps other specialized feeding habits, may be more wide- 
spread within the Aleocharinae than has been expected in the past. 
Acknowledgments 
I extend special thanks to Mr. James Day, an Antioch Work- 
Study student in the Division of Insects at the Field Museum during 
the spring and early summer of 1984, for his interest and commit- 
ment while caring for cultures of Menonera venustula and a number 
of other aleocharines. He initially made many of the observations 
reported here and maintained records of activities of the colony. 
Summary 
Information about feeding habits, oviposition rate, developmen- 
tal rate and longevity of adults of Meronera venustula (Er.) is pro- 
vided based on colonies maintaned in the laboratory. Adults, and 
probably larvae, were found to actively feed on fungus mycelium 
and apparently received a substantial proportion of their nourish- 
ment from this resource. A preoviposition period of at least 20 days 
was followed by a burst of egg laying activity during which 104 eggs 
were laid by 10 females in 31 days. Average duration of the egg stage 
lasted 2.8 days, the first instar 1.8 days, the second instar 1.4 days 
and the third instar 4.5 days at temperatures of 22-25° C. Pupation 
occurred without production of a pupal cocoon, and the pupal stage 
lasted an average of 4.5 days. Development under natural condi- 
tions is expected to be slower than rates reported because of 
expected lower temperatures in the natural microhabitat of these 
beetles. Adults survived an average of 43.5 days and a maximum of 
61 days from the time of collection. 
Late instar larvae are described and illustrations of distinctive 
features are provided. 
