INSECT RECONNAISSANCE IN LIBERIA, 
WEST AFRICA 
By M. S. Beiscoe 
College of Medicine, Howard University, 
Washington, D. C. 
The Republic of Liberia lies approximately between 
4° 22' to 8° 50' north latitude, and 7° 33' to 11° 32' longi- 
tude west of Greenwich. It has one of the most humid 
and rainiest climates of Africa. The rainy season begins 
in April and terminates in November, the annual rainfall 
being as much as 170 inches. 
This paper is a report of an insect reconnaissance in 
many localities in the hinterland and coastal areas of 
Liberia. Collections were made throughout the year. 
Accordingly, an overall picture of seasonal distribution 
was obtained; this will be reported in a later paper. 
In the following list families are arranged in accord 
with recent phylogenetic studies. Among the Diptera 
there are five new distributional records for Liberia and 
four undescribed species. Definite localities are given 
for all of the specimens. 
Dipteea 
Tipulidae 
1. Trentepohlia exornata Bergr. Roberts Field; Har- 
bel. 
The collection also contains unidentified species of 
ElepJiantomyia , Lecteria , Megistocera and Tipula col- 
lected at Roberts Field and Harbel. 
Bibionidae 
Unidentified species of Plecia collected at Roberts Field 
and Harbel. 
Fungi vo ridae 
Unidentified species of Cerotelion, Delopsis, Lycoria, 
N eoempheria and Trichosia collected at Roberts Field 
and Harbel. 
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