VOL. 54, NO. 1, JANUARY 1978 
59 
hemolymph was placed on the end of a match stick and introduced 
into a cage containing several H. uhleri. Several of the bugs quickly 
aggregated on and around the stick and placed the apex of their 
rostrum on that portion containing the fluid. 
The effect of mirid attacks on the meloids, besides being a source 
of irritation, is unknown. On a few occasions, several Hadronema were 
observed feeding on soft cadavers of Lytta moerens. Whether or not 
they caused the death of the beetles was not determined. 
Certain insects that parasitize adult meloids are sensitive to the 
odor of cantharidin, a component of rneloid hemolymph, and can be 
captured in traps baited with this substance (Gornitz, 1937; Chandler, 
1976). Consequently, it seemed likely that cantharidin would also be 
attractive to Hadronema. To verify this, baits were prepared by placing 
a small amount of cantharidin (synthetic powder) on 8-cm. diameter 
filter paper and dissolving it in acetone. After the acetone had evapor¬ 
ated, the cantharidin-impregnated filter papers were placed in petri 
dishes. Four baited dishes were tested in the field in Menifee Valley 
on 26 April 1977. No meloids were present at this locality, but several 
Hadronema uhleri had been observed in low numbers on black sage, 
Salvia mellifera Greene, several days previously. The baited dishes 
were placed on the ground under Salvia 10m apart from one another. 
Alternating with these baited units were 4 dishes containing white 
filter paper that had been treated with acetone but not cantharidin. 
Units were checked every 15 min. for 1 hr. During this time baited 
dishes collected 32 individuals of H. uhleri, with an average of 8 per 
unit (range, 6-11). None of the control units contained mirids. In addi¬ 
tion to the Hadronema, two of the baited dishes contained a single 
individual of an unidentified species of the mirid genus Sixeonotus. 
Although the Hadronema were relatively abundant at the bait, 50 con¬ 
current sweeps of black sage at a site adjacent to the baited areas 
captured only asingle specimen. 
All specimens of Hadronema uhleri collected and observed feeding 
on meloids were females. The sample of H. bispinosa from Flagstaff, 
AZ, contained both sexes but it was not noted if both males and fe¬ 
males were attempting to feed. It is assumed that all of the mirids 
mentioned here are primarily phytophagous, and that their relation¬ 
ship with meloids is ancillary to their primary food sources. 
Literature Cited 
Blair, K.G. 1937. Midges attacking Meloe beetles. Entomoi. Mon. Mag. 73:143. 
Chandler, D.S. 1976. Use of cantharidin and rneloid beetles to attract Anthicidae (Co- 
leoptera). Pan-Pac. Entomoi. 52:179-180. 
Church, N.W., and G.H. Gerber. 1977. Observations on the ontogeny and habits of Lytta 
nuttalli, L. viridana and L. cyanipennis (Coleoptera: Meloidae): The adults and 
eggs. Can. Entomoi. 109:565-573. 
