1977] 
Porter — Mesostenines 
73 
tember to January. Monthy totals include 1 1 females and 1 male 
for January, 7 females and 1 male for March, 1 female and 4 males 
for April, 6 females and 31 males for May, 3 females and 3 males 
for June, 2 males for July, 1 female and 2 males for August, 5 
females and 6 males for September, 4 females and 26 males for 
October, 28 females and 10 males for November, and 25 females 
and 2 males for December. All but 50 of the 179 specimens were 
collected by Malaise Traps. Pertinax shows some fluctuation in 
abundance from year to year. Malaise Trap surveys in the ’73-’74 
season and in 1976 have obtained 64 and 65 specimens respec- 
tively, while hand collecting accounted for 18 specimens in 73-74, 
7 in ’74-75, 20 in ’75-76, and 5 so far in ’76-77. 
In the eastern U. S. pertinax flies mainly during August and 
September but in subtropical latitudes is more or less active all 
year. 
Genus Polycyrtidea 
31. Polycyrtidea limitis Cushman 
SPECIMENS EXAMINED: 17 females, 17 males: BENTSEN PARK 
(Net: 1 male, 3 I ’76; 1 female, 2 males, 12-13 I ’76; 3 females, 2 
males, 19 I ’76; Malaise: 1 male, 1-15 IV ’76; 1 male, 1-15 V ’76; 
BOTANICAL GARDEN (Net: 1 male, 7 I ’75; 1 female, 2 males, 
10-11 I ’76; 1 male, 18 I ’76; 1 female, 1 male, 18-22 I ’76; 2 fe- 
males, 12-21 I ’74; 1 male, 16-30 V ’74; 2 females, 26 XII ’75; 
Malaise: 1 female, I ’74; 4 females, 4 males, III ’74; 1 male, XII 
’73); SANTA ANA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (Net: 1 male, 24 
XII ’75). 
HABITAT: Shaded, weedy places; Serjania vines in gallery woods; 
in tall grass beneath large Celtis lindheimeri. 
DISTRIBUTION: Lower Rio Grande Valley to Costa Rica. 
PHAENOLOGY: Most abundant in January but flies almost 
throughout the year. My records include 10 females and 9 males 
for January, 4 females and 4 males for March, 1 male for April, 
2 males for May, and 3 females and 1 male for December. Townes 
(1962, p. 407) gives two additional Valley records: 1 female, 30 
July, Hidalgo County and 1 male and 1 female, September, Browns- 
ville. 
Limitis may vary in numbers from year to year, since 4 speci- 
mens were taken in ’73-’74, 10 in HA-15, 18 in ’75-’76, and 2 in 
’76-77. 
