LIBRARY

082 COLLEGE ENTOMOLOGY
holes in the ground in which they move up and down rapidly. The disk-like
head just closes the burrow entrance. Here they lie in wait for any living prey
which they are able to overcome. The larvre occupy the habitat of the adult
along the sandy banks of rivers and bodies of water, in wet meadows, and in
damp partially shaded canyons. Certain tropical species utilize the limbs of
trees and stems of smaller woody plants for burrows and capture the insects
that pass. A few are termitophilous. From 2 to 3 years are required to com­
plete a life cycle. Pupation occurs in the burrows. In New Zealand they are
FIG. 177. Amblycheil(l cYlind1ij(JTTJlis Say.
one of the largest and most remarkable
North American tiger beetles. (Drawing by
Carl Fuchs.)
called "penny doctors" (Tillyard,
1926). LarVa:! and adults hibernate.
The adults are mostly active on
bright sunny days, but some species
are nocturnal. Diurnal forms are exceedingly
quick and are among the
most difficult insects to capture with
a net.
The eggs are deposited in the soil or
wherever the burrow is to be constructed.
The members of this family are
among the most specialized insects
and while they are usually given
family rank some systematists place
them in a subfamily of the CARAB­
IDlE. The family is relatively small
and consists of but 2,000 species,
which are world-wide in distribution.
It reaches its greatest development in
the tropics where the most brilliant
species occur.
Among the interesting apterous
species are those of the genus Omus
Eschscholtz, 32 spp. and subspecies,
black, nocturnal hunters which occur
only in the hills and mountains of
western North America. The genus
Manticora Fab., of Africa, is composed
of five large apterous, dark species with almost globular bodies and great
toothed mandibles. M. congoensis Peringuey is from 38-44 mm. long. Amblycheila
cylindriformis Say, a large cylindrical species, black with reddish-brown
elytra and up to 40 mm. long, occurs in Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Two other species, A. baroni Rivers and A. schwarzi W. Horn, are much smaller
and inhabit Arizona and the latter Utah also. One of the smallest species is
Prothyma leptatis Bates of Mexico which is but 6 mm. long.
Members of the arboreal genera Collyris Fab. and Tricondyla Latr .. are