The two species of pselaphine staphylinid beetles described herein represent the first unambiguous records of true troglobitic beetles from caves in the Ozark Plateau region of Arkansas. Speleochus macosar Carlton, new species, is based on a series of six specimens collected from Whippoorwill Cave, Madison County, northwestern Arkansas. Speleochus blanchardensis Carlton, new species, is based on a series of four specimens collected in Blanchard Springs Caverns, Stone County, north-central Arkansas. All specimens were collected from the zone of total darkness, deep within the caves. Comparison with other troglobitic species from the southeastern United States included within the genera Speleochus Park, 1951 and Subterrochus Park, 1960 suggest that all are congeneric. An updated description of Speleochus is provided and the following nomenclatural changes are proposed: Speleochus (= Subterrochus, new synonymy);Speleochus eurous (Park, 1960), new combination; Speleochus ferns Park, 1951, combination reinstated, and Speleochus steevesi (Park, 1960), new combination. The species described from Arkansas are the only members of the genus known from west of the Mississippi River Embayment. All others are described from caves in northern Alabama.

Recent collecting in caves in the Ozark region of the USA produced a number of new scarab beetle records (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea). We report our collections and review literature records of scarabs reported from caves in the USA and Canada. Most of these records are accidental occurrences, but a few represent widespread species with known associations to host vertebrates that may occupy a cave. Two species, Onthophagus cavernicollis Howden and Cartwright (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), and Stenotothorax gardneri (Gordon) (Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), appear closely tied to woodrat, Neotoma floridana (Ord) (Rodentia: Cricetidae), nests. We consider the cave association of these two species, categorizing them as troglophiles. The distribution of O. cavernicollis is mainly in the Ozark region, but this pattern may be due to inadequate sampling in other locations. Stenotothorax gardneri is known only from caves in the Ozark region. All available collection records from recent work, museum specimens and literature accounts are presented for these species. Additional discussions are presented for O. cavernicollis because our materials contained the undescribed male and female minors and new insight into their habits.

A new species of cetoniine scarab, Dicronocephalus diminuata Young, new species, from Xizang Zizhiqu (Tibet Autonomous Region), China is described and distinguished from its sympatric congener, Dicnmocephalus dabryi (Auzoux). Distribution for the genus as a whole, which is poorly understood and centers on China, is detailed.

Federal sampling guidelines for the endangered American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus Olivier, have historically recommended transects of eight baited pitfall traps spaced 20 m. We compared a new above-ground bucket trap sampling method to standard transects in terms of capture rates, time efficiency, trap mortality, disturbance, and sample range. A single bucket trap was set for three consecutive nights at each site (three bucket-nights) rather than a transect of eight traps set for three nights like standard pitfall traps (24 trap-nights). To facilitate comparisons between methods, an appropriate sample effort conversion was determined to convert bucket-nights to trap-nights. Bucket traps were 75% more time efficient than standard transects and were more resistant to disturbances from scavengers. Abundance estimates for N. americanus were significantly different between methods when a bucket-night was treated as equivalent to a trap-night. The most appropriate sample effort conversion was one bucket-night equals eight trap-nights. For both trap types, the probability of recapture was less than 25% for beetles released directly adjacent to traps and dropped below 5% for beetles greater than 300 m from traps. No trap mortalities resulted from either method in this study, but bucket traps were designed to reduce risks from the most common causes of trap mortality (drowning, heat stress, and predation). Bucket traps had rain covers and allowed for drainage, increased ventilation, and excluded some common predators found in standard pitfall traps. We recommend exclusive use of above-ground bucket traps in future surveys for N. americanus due to increased time efficiency, comparability with standard transects, decreased susceptibility to disturbance, larger bait size, and likely decrease in trap mortality.

A description and illustrations of the mature larva of Rhagomicrus bonvouloiri (Horn, 1886) (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Melasinae: Dirrhagini) are given. The description is based on mature larvae collected from pieces of rotten sugar maple wood (Acer saccharum Marshall). Adults were reared from those pieces placed in plastic bags and associated with larvae found in the field and preserved. Biological information is provided, based on literature records and personal observations. Historical accounts of larval discriptions in the Nearctic region are briefly discussed. This is the first larval description for Rhagomicrus Fleutiaux, 1902.

We present new data on the host plants, biology, and distribution of Cosmobaris discolor (Boheman, 1836) and Hypolixus pica (F., 1798) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Larval host plants are ascertained for the first time for both species in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. Amaranthus spinosus L. and Amaranthus viridis L. (Amaranthaceae) are the host plants of C. discolor. Immature stages of C. discolor develop inside the main stem and lateral branches of both plants. Amaranthus spinosus is a host plant of H. pica, whose immature stages develop inside the root system. This is a new country record for C. discolor in Turkey.

Rhoptobaris LeConte (= Orthoris LeConte, new synonymy), a small genus of North and Central American weevils, is revised. The adult, larva, and pupa are described. Five species are recognized: Rhoptobaris canescens LeConte, Rhoptobaris cylindrifera (Casey), new combination [from Orthoris], Rhoptobaris obrieni Prena, new species [El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico], Rhoptobaris piercei Prena, new species [Mexico, USA], and Rhoptobaris scolopax (Say), new combination [from Aulobaris LeConte]. At least three species are associated with blazingstar (Mentzelia L., Loasaceae). Orthoris angustula Casey, Orthoris captiosa Casey, Orthoris crotchii LeConte, Orthoris robustula Casey, Orthoris tenuirostris Casey, and Orthoris tumidirostris Casey are new synonyms of R. scolopax. Lectotypes are designated for R. canescens, O. crotchii, O. captiosa, Orthoris cylindrifera Casey, and O. tenuirostris. Baridius anthracinus Boheman is designated as the type species for Aulobaris LeConte. Aulobaris pusilla (LeConte) is recognized as the valid name for B. scolopax of authors (not Say 1832). Habitus images of all five species, line drawings of important larval characters, and a key for the identification of the adult weevil are provided.

We investigated the taxonomic implications of two species of the anilline carabid genus Anillinus Casey described from Brazil, Anillinus minor Zaballos and Mateu and Anillinus magnus Zaballos and Mateu. Comparison of the aedeagus of A. minor to those of North American representatives of the genus led to the conclusion that A. minor should be placed in synonymy with A. steevesi Barr, new synonym, from the southeastern United States. Morphological details of the aedeagus of A. minor suggest affinities with the southern populations of A. steevesi from Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Anillinus magnus is transferred to the North American genus Serranillus Barr, as Serranillus magnus (Zaballos and Mateu), new combination. Evaluation of the possible common origins of the two species represented by the Brazil-labeled specimens suggested that they were originally collected in northwestern Georgia, USA and subsequently mislabeled and described as “Brazilian” species. The type locality of A. steevesi at Cloudland Canyon State Park, Georgia and literature mention of an undescribed species of Serranillus from the same locality constitute strong circumstantial evidence in support of this conclusion.

Here we describe the association of Enema pan (F., 1775) (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Oryctini) with bamboo plants in the genus Guadua Kunth (Poaceae: Bambuseae) in a lowland rainforest in southeastern Peru. Mounds at the base of Guadua stems and underground tunnels over one meter long are constructed by adults. Males were found inside these tunnels and in mounds at the base of bamboo stems where they shred and feed on bamboo sap. Males were observed perching at the top of opened mounds only at night, waving their antennae. This study provides the first description of the burrows of E. pan and its association with bamboo plants in southwestern Amazonia.

A new species of Palaeophileurus Kolbe is described from Peru, with supporting illustrations and diagnosis. An annotated checklist of the species of the genus Palaeophileurus is included. Palaeophileurus sclateri (Bates, 1887) is reported as a new country record for Peru.

The morphology of the third instar of Pelidnota fulva Blanchard is described and illustrated. A key for identifying the known larvae of Pelidnota MacLeay is provided.

In this study, seed predation rates imposed by bruchines and the composition of bruchine species and their host plants were assessed in a heterogeneous landscape in southeastern Brazil. Fruits were collected from 49 plants from 16 species belonging to four families, primarily Fabaceae. The five bruchine species collected emerged from four plant species as follows: Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Schaeffer) from Leucaena leucocephala (Lamarck) de Wit, Acanthoscelides sp. from Senna hirsuta (L.) Irwin and Barneby, Ctenocolum podagricus (F.) from Lonchocarpus müehlbergianus Hassler, and Gibbobruchus polycoccus (Fähraeus) and Gibbobruchus speculifer (Gyllenhal) from Bauhinia forficata Link. Bauhinia forficata is here recorded for the first time as a host for G. polycoccus. Only 1/4 of the local flora that was surveyed hosted bruchines. Bruchine and plant species composition varied among habitats, with most beetles found in plants located in the most disturbed habitat. Because of the economic importance of L. leucocephala in the tropics, we compared germination percentages between attacked and unattacked seeds of this species. The unattacked seeds had an average germination rate of 59%, and none of the attacked seeds germinated, showing that the germination of L. leucocephala seeds was drastically affected by predation.

Larval burrows of the Great Plains giant tiger beetle, Amblycheila cylindriformis Say, in the western short grasslands of Kansas were predominantly scattered across near vertical walls in an eroded soil canyon. The soil consisted of exposed fine-silty loam, and larval burrows were distributed on canyon walls at slopes up to 90°. The mean degree of slope for larval burrows was 55.6°. Few larval burrows were found on the more horizontal soil slopes (0–10°) near the canyon wall base, and no larval burrows were found on the nearly level, grass-covered brow of the canyon. A majority of burrows were within 1 m of another larval burrow and some were as close as 0.125 cm.

A description and illustrations of the mature larva of Deltometopus amoenicornis (Say, 1836) (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae: Macraulacini), endemic in the Nearctic region, are given. The description is based on mature larvae collected from pieces of rotten sugar maple wood (Acer saccharum Marshall). Adults were reared from larvae in wood placed in plastic bags and associated with larvae found earlier in the field and preserved. Biological information is provided based on literature records and personal observations. Comparative morphology among larvae of Deltometopus Bonvouloir, 1871 and two other eucnemid genera is briefly discussed. This is the first larval description for Deltometopus.

This paper reports on the remarkable results we achieved with a novel, inexpensive collecting method, i.e. band-shelter trapping, during a survey conducted in 25 urban parks and greenbelts in the Beijing metropolitan area from April to October during 2007–2009. The trap was made of 3-cm wide, opaque, plastic fiber, wrapped around willow tree trunks (Salix spp.) at a height of 1.5 m height. Traps were checked every two weeks. We collected a total of 45,074 weevils, of which 817 belong to five species unrecorded from China, i.e., Melanapion mandli (Schubert), Asperogronops inaequalis (Boheman), Dorytomus occallescens (Gyllenhal), Ellescus schoenherri (Faust), and Tachyerges pseudostigma (Tempère). Moreover, we collected 43,952 individuals of Melanapion naga (Nakane), Dorytomus alternans Faust, Dorytomus roelofsi Faust, and Dorytomus setosus Zumpt, which are new records for Beijing. The genera Asperogronops Solari and Ellescus Dejean are newly recorded for China. During their seasonal peak, we frequently and abundantly collected D. setosus and D. roelofsi with band-shelter traps, but never by sweeping, beating, or light trapping methods. A review of the biology of these species shows that all have a short active season and prefer shaded tree trunks. Band-shelter traps appear to effectively capture species with these characteristics and underline the importance of collecting methods that take into account the specific life strategy of target species.