1977] 
Porter — Mesostenines 
75 
SPECIMENS EXAMINED: 97 females, 133 males: BENTSEN PARK 
(Net: 1 female, 12 I ’76; 3 males, 17-19 III ’76; 2 males, 12-20 III 
’77; 2 males, 8-10 IX ’76; 3 males, 29 XII ’76; Malaise (1976): 1 
male, 1-15 II; 1 female, 4 males, 15-30 IV; 1 male, 16-31 V; 5 
males, 16-31 VII; 7 males, 1-15 VIII; 1 male, 16-31 VIII; 3 males, 
1-15 IX; 8 males, 16-30 IX; 7 males, 1-15 X; 9 males, 16-31 X; 1 
male, 1-15 XI; 1 female, 2 males, 16-30 XI; 1 female, 1 male, 1-15 
XII); botanical GARDEN (Net: 10 females, 7 males, 12-21 I ’74; 
2 females, 1 — 15 I ’75; 6 females, 16-21 I ’75; 13 females, 2 males, 
1-15 I ’76; 10 females, 2 males, 15-24 III ’74; 2 females, 28 III ’75; 
1 male, 15 III ’76; 15 females, 16 males, 12-20 III ’77; 2 females, 
1 male, 2-5 IV ’75; 1 female, 1 male, 17-24 V ’74; 1 female, 23 VIII 
’73; 1 male, 30 VIII ’75; 1 male, 7 IX ’76; 13 females, 13 males, 
20-31 XII ’73; 5 females, 3 males, 20-31 XII ’74; 3 females, 2 males, 
23-23 XII ’75; 1 female, 18 XII ’76; Malaise (1973): 3 males, X; 
3 females, 15 males, XI; 2 females, 1 male, XII ’73). 
HABITAT: In or at edges of moderately to deeply shaded woods, 
especially where there are dead trees, shrubs, or vines; sometimes 
abundant around fallen Celtis lindheimeri; in winter visits Con- 
dalia obovata shrubs in bright sun; on Serjania vines or herba- 
ceous undergrowth in woods; often in orange groves on dead 
branches of frost-damaged citrus trees. Flies in open during win- 
ter and keeps to deep shade in hotter months. Males fly much 
more actively than females. 
DISTRIBUTION: N.H. and Wis. to Fla. and south Texas. 
phaenology: Valley populations peak between December and 
March but show some adult activity throughout the year. Monthly 
totals include 36 females and 1 1 males for January, 1 male for 
February, 27 females and 24 males for March, 3 females and 5 
males for April, 5 males for July, 1 female and 9 males for August, 
14 males for September, 19 males for October, 3 females and 19 
males for November, and 26 females and 24 males for December. 
Of the 230 specimens, 76 (8 females and 68 males) were obtained 
by Malaise Traps. Discoidaloides fluctuates in numbers from year 
to year. Malaise Trap surveys in the ’73-’74 season and in 1976 
have obtained 24 and 52 specimens respectively, while hand col- 
lecting yielded 66 specimens in ’73-’74, 19 in ’74-75, 21 in ’75-’76, 
and 40 in ’76-77. 
North of the Valley, discoidaloides flies mainly between April 
and October. 
