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Psyche 
[Vol. 87 
Bidesmida with one species ( B. morrisoni ) bringing the total to 40 
species in 8 genera. This present study describes 5 additional new 
species. There is little doubt that there are many more undescribed 
species in North America. 
Coniopterygids have been considered rare by most entomologists, 
mainly because of their small size, inconspicuous appearance and 
superficial resemblance to Psocoptera and Aleyrodidae. In addition, 
Withycombe (1922) stated that only the males are attracted to 
incandescent lights. I have found males and females only rarely 
attracted to incandescent lights, but both sexes are readily attracted 
to blacklights and the use of blacklight traps is the most efficient 
method of collecting adults. 
Rather than being rare, many coniopterygids are quite common. 
Several species can be easily collected in numbers in the southern 
part of the United States where they appear to be widely and 
uniformly distributed. I have noted large numbers of Semidalis 
vicina (Hagen) congregating on oak and maple shrubbery in 
Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas and have seen this species and 
several others in large numbers in Texas feeding on an unidentified 
aphid on hackberry. Withycombe (1923) considered several coniop¬ 
terygids to be “exceedingly common, at least in England. ..”. He 
found Conwentzia sp. to be one of the “commonest insects in 
London parks” on Quercus and Platanus with Semidalis sp. and 
Coniopteryx sp. frequently plentiful. 
The life histories of very few of the Coniopterygidae are known. 
Withycombe (1923) made a major contribution with studies of 
several species in England, Muma (1967) studied 5 . vicina in Florida 
and Henry (1976) reported on A. juniperi in Pennsylvania. Other 
studies have been made but these frequently include ambiguous 
species identification. 
Both larvae and adults of coniopterygids are predaceous and 
several have been studied as biological control agents. Muma (1967) 
evaluated S. vicina for control of mites on citrus. He found this 
species to have several characteristics which made it suitable for 
biological control of citrus pests: wide distribution, stable mean 
population and wide food tolerance range, including rust mites, 
spider mites, whiteflies and scale insects. Individuals were found to 
consume 29-83 citrus red mites (eggs, larvae, and pupae) per day of 
development. Quayle (1912) reported Conwentzia hageni Banks 
(Conwentzia California Meinander) to be one of the commonest 
