304 
Psyche 
[September-December 
screw and Fincher caves. Florida. Jackson Co., Gerards and 
Miller (Florida Caverns State Park) caves. Georgia. Chatooga 
Co., Blowing Springs Cave. Walker Co., Bible Springs, Horse- 
shoe, and Mountain Cove Farm caves (Holsinger and Peck, 1971). 
Iowa. Jackson Co., Barred (Maquoketa Caves State Park) and 
Hunters caves. Kentucky. Barren Co., Slick Rock Cave. Carter 
Co., Bat Cave (Carter Caves State Park). Clark Co., Jones Cave. 
Fayette Co., Phelps Cave. Russell Co., Rowe Cave. Scott Co., 
Slacks Cave. Oklahoma. Washita Co., Washita Bat Caves (Black, 
1971). Tennessee. Bradley Co., Quarry Cave east of Cleveland. 
Cannon Co., Connell Creek, Davenport, and Highway Spring 
caves. Hamblen Co., Three Springs (Butry or Delap) Cave, 400 to 
800 feet inside. 
Seasonal activity. Data on specimen labels show the species to 
be active from March through November, in both northern and 
southern locations, with most specimens being taken from May to 
September. Generally, the more southerly populations are active 
earlier and later in the year. A few studies have experimentally 
followed the changes in abundances of the species throughout the 
year. Pirone (1974) found the species to be the most common 
catopid on carrion in southern New York; the beetles occurred from 
mid April through to November, and most were taken in August. 
Shubeck (1969), in a three year study in New Jersey, found the 
species to have differing abundances through the summer but to be 
most common in early-middle summer. In a repeat study in the 
same forest (Shubeck, Downie, Wenzel, and Peck, 1977) the 
species was again found from April to November, with a mid- 
summer peak in abundance. In Tennessee, Reed (1958) collected 
the beetle on dog carcasses from mid June to late August. In 
another Tennessee study, Walker (1957) took P. opaca in mid- 
summer, but did not trap at other times. In a carrion study in an 
Illinois forest, Johnson (1975) found the beetle to appear in April 
and to be present through November, being most abundant in 
September. Larvae appeared at the end of the decay stage and 
were mostly associated with the dry stage; they occurred in May, 
were most common in July, and last appeared in September. 
During one of his trapping programs in a New Jersey forest, 
Shubeck (1971) found all catopids (which he called leptodirids) 
including P. opaca, to be diurnally active, in June and August, and 
to have no nocturnal activity. 
