Bombardier beetles of the genus Brachinus (Carabidae) are disagreeable prey because they discharge irritating quinones. Brachinus beetles live in aggregations and display warning colours. Like Brachinus beetles, Anchomenus dorsalis beetles produce methylsalicylate, and present a similar colour pattern. Anchomenus dorsalis beetles are usually found within Brachinus aggregations. Our aim was to investigate the similarity of cuticular chemical profiles of these two species to test the hypothesis of interspecific chemical mimicry. We investigated the cuticular composition of A. dorsalis, B. sclopeta, and Poecilus cupreus. Poecilus cupreus, a non-aposematic carabid commonly found in Brachinus spp and Anchonemus dorsalis aggregations, was used as a control. The cuticular profiles of the three species include 48 different hydrocarbons. The cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of the three species of carabids were different, but individuals of Brachinus were chemically more similar to those of Anchomenus than to those of Poecilus; in turn, individuals of Poecilus were more similar to Anchomenus than to Brachinus. We suggest that A. dorsalis is possibly mimicking the cuticular profile of B. sclopeta as an effective antipredator strategy. Brachinus sclopeta may benefit from a reduction of individual predation risk due to an increased number of aggregated preys (dilution effect), while A. dorsalis may increase the benefit both from the dilution effect and from the greater chemical defense of B. sclopeta.

Rhamphomyia (Pararhamphomyia) minutiforceps sp. n. (Russia, Primorskiy Territory) and R. (P.) minutiforcipella sp. n. (Russia, Amur Province) are described and illustrated.

The genus Pseudachorutes is recorded for the first time from China, with three new species: P. lishanensis, P. jianxiucheni and P. wandae, all of them are from LiShan Mountain, Shaan Xi Province, Northwest China. Pseudachorutes lishanensis n. sp. is easy to distinguish, having two kinds of setae (macrosetae and microsetae) and mandible with three teeth. Pseudachorutes jianxiucheni n. sp. has 11–15 vesicles in the postantennal organ, mandible with 4–5 teeth, a relatively small body size, and tenent hair on tibiotarsi. Pseudachorutes wandae n. sp. has minute body setae and long sensorial setae; postantennal organ composed of 16–18 simple vesicles, and very small size. The new taxa are described and illustrated.

We describe and illustrate for the first time the egg, larva, and pupa of Eurytoma sivinskii Gates and Grissell (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae), a parasitoid that attacks Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) pupae in Veracruz, Mexico. We obtained the immature stages of E. sivinskii using lab-reared A. ludens (Loew) pupae as hosts.

Propylene glycol in water is a safe and effective alternative to ethylene glycol as a capture liquid in insect traps (pitfalls, flight intercepts, pan traps). Propylene glycol formulations are readily available because it is the primary (95%) ingredient in certain automotive antifreeze formulations. However, an even safer and less expensive alternative is the USP food grade RV antifreeze used for winterizing drinking water systems. The automotive formulations contain additives (about 5%) that contribute to the cost and involve safety, environmental, and waste disposal issues. Using bacterial inhibition as an indicator, the preservational attributes of the automotive and RV antifreeze were found to be comparable in laboratory tests. Entomologists are urged to use nontoxic antifreeze in their trapping programs.

Mystrothrips longantennus sp. nov., of the Subfamily Phlaeothripinae is described and illustrated from China. The new species can be distinguished from M. nipponicus Okajima from Japan by post-ocular long, antennae more than 2.1 times as long as head length, B₂ on abdominal tergites IX about as long as tube length. New distributional information of M. flavidus Okajima in China is also provided.

Aquatic insects must regulate the ion concentrations of their haemolymph, and freshwater insects tend to loose ions to their aquatic environment. The osmoregulatory organs of larvae and pupae of C. sonorensis have not been previously reported. Silver nitrate was used to detect tissues in immature stages of C. sonorensis with active chloride exchange. Larvae of C. sonorensis actively exchanged ions with their anal papillae, cutaneous chloride cells, and to a lesser extent the hindgut. Only the cutaneous chloride cells were stained in their pupae.

The genus Agasta Hope is revised. Agasta formosa Hope, 1840, A. annamica Kimoto and Gressitt, 1981 are redescribed and illustrated. Agasta fleutiauxi Laboissière, 1932 is confirmed as the synonym of A. formosa Hope. Detailed illustrations as well as detailed synonymies of A. formosa and of A. annamica are provided.

In this paper, three new species of the genus Kapsa Dworakowska, 1972 from China are described and illustrated: K. fangxianga n. sp., K. biprocessa n. sp. and K. arca n. sp.

Attractiveness of sweet shrub flowers, Calycanthus floridus Linnaeus, to species of Nitidulidae was determined from collections made May to mid-July (1991–2004) at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) of the Ohio State University and surrounding areas. A total of 2064 nitidulids were collected, representing 17 species and 9 genera. The most abundant nitidulids collected at OARDC were Carpophilus lugubris Murray (56%), Colopterus truncatus (Randall) (20%) and Carpophilus brachypterus (Say) (15%). The most common nitidulids collected in the surrounding areas were C. truncatus (56%) followed by C. lugubris (28%). The remaining nitidulid species in both areas represented less than 7% of the specimens collected. Our data show a diversity of nitidulid species attracted to C. floridus flowers, with two species accounting for nearly 80% of the nitidulids associated with Calycanthus.

Diospilus belokobylskiji Beyarslan sp. nov. is described and diagnostic characters are illustrated and compared with the related species Diospilus inflexus Reinhard. New distributional records for eight species of Diospilini are reported for Turkey. Seven of these species are new to Turkey.

Three species of biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) previously unknown from South Carolina were collected with UV-lighted and lightless miniature CDC light traps baited with CO₂ during 2006 and 2007 in Barnwell County. We provide details of the microhabitats and biology for these species: Forcipomyia (Euprojoannisia) unica Bystrak and Wirth, Forcipomyia (Metaforcipomyia) fehrerorum Grogan and Sigrist, and Culicoides (Haematomyidium) torreyae Wirth and Blanton.

Smooth-floored asetose pits on the pronotum and elytra of adult longicorn beetles, Lagocheirus araneiformis stroheckeri, are used for dispersal by Schwiebea sp. phoretic mites anchored in them with caudo-ventral suckers. Manifest suitability of the pits for transporting these mites, demonstrated by dimensions, shape, surface structure and a high occupancy rate connotes a beetle/mite mutualism, supported by their congruent life histories.

A new species of hydrophiloid beetles, Helophorus (Orphelophorus) turca sp. n., is described from high altitude in northern Anatolia (Asiatic Turkey) and compared with the two known species of the genus. Diagnostic characters are supported with electron micrographs. The key to the subgenera of Angus (1992) is briefly discussed.