NEWSLETTER of the Wisconsin Entomological Society ' ‘ ' Volume 14 * Number 2 May 1987 FIELD TRIP AND MEETING AT CEDARBURG BOG 12-14 JUNE The facilities of the UW-Milwaukee Field Station will be available for our use from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. In conjunction with the collecting trip, a meeting is scheduled at the Field Station on Saturday , 13 June at 1:30 PM . Phil Pellitteri will give a short talk on the "Common Ticks of Wisconsin," and other short talks are planned. Members are encouraged to share collection records, recent collecting trips and other items of interest. We need and welcome your participation. Our past outings here have been most enjoyable. UW-M Field Station 9095 Blue Goose M. Saukvllle. Wt 53080 . Phone (414) 675 6844 UW-M ^ JSSfvfSar Reid siallon^ ^jg. Rustic lodging with shower and kitchen facilities is available at the Field Station. A limited number of beds are available, but bring your own sleeping bag or bedding, and towels. Meals will be on your own - you may bring your own food and supplies or eat at restaurants in nearby Grafton or Cedar burg . The Cedarburg Bog is one of the largest and least disturbed bogs in eastern Wisconsin. The habitat con- sists of extensive swamp conifer forest and areas of open bog, which are readily accessable via the boardwalk, shown crossing the stream in the middle of the bog in the photo above. The surrounding uplands are maple-beech forest, with old field and restored prairie habitats on the Field Station grounds. The Newsletter of the Wisconsin Entomological Society is published three times a year, at irregular intervals. It is provided to encourage and facilitate the exchange of information by the membership, and to keep the members informed of the activities of the organization. Members are strongly encouraged to contribute items for inclusion in the Newsletter. Please send all news items, notes, new or interesting insect records, season summaries, research requests etc. to the editor: Les Ferge, 7119 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton, WI 53562. FIELD TRIP TO LADYSMITH 24-26 JULY Bob and Herraine Dicke will host a field trip at their cabin in the beautiful northwoods of Rusk County. Sleeping accommodations are available in the cabin and in a separate trailer. Bring your own bedding and towels. Indoor bathroom facilities and shower are available, plus a swimming pool and three-hole golf course! An outstanding variety of habitats for collecting surround the cabin, includ- ing northern hardwood forest, river bottom forest, tamarack swamp and old field. Those who took part last year had a wonderful time, and found collecting quite good despite cool rainy weather. The cabin is located off Highway 8, between Bruce and Ladysmith (see map below). From southern Wisconsin, get onto 1-94, exit onto Highway 10 east (at Osseo), then shortly (approx, li miles) take Highway R to Highway 27 at Augusta. Follow Highway 27 to Ladysmith, then take Highway 8 west 6 miles to Thornapple Road. The drive in from Boatlanding Road is a single-track dirt road through an old field and into the woods. The cabin is quite far in, so don’t give up. PRESIDENT’S NOTES Phil Pellitteri After nine years as Secretary of the Society, I have moved over to the "Big Chair." The final outcome of the 1987 election is that Jim Parkinson has been elected Vice President, Glenn Esenther as Secretary, Bob Borth as Treasurer and myself as President. ■ For my first official act I would like to thank Dr. Dan Young for his years of r service as President of the Society. Dan has added much to the Society with his insight, hard work and love of the science. Some important changes have taken place during Dan's tenure, and he has helped us through some tough times. There is some question in my mind that there would still be a Wisconsin Entomological Society without Dan's guidance and enthusiasm. All of us members owe Dan a big THANK YOU! The March meeting was a big success. There were just under 30 people in attendance. We had speakers coming out of the woodwork and not just the same old faces. The program became so full that we did not have enough time to interact after the meeting. Because of this we will start future meetings at 1:30 PM, to allow more open time for interaction before we break for the evening meal. The speakers were Les Ferge, who shared with us some of the interesting and unusual Lepidoptera he captured during the 1986 season; Mark Evans, who summarized his recent collecting trips to Mexico, and Dan Young, on a computer program to print specimen labels. Greg Lintereur presented some very interest- ing life history information on the pear slug ( Caliroa cerasi ), and I talked about some recently introduced insects such as the Asian roach in Florida, and some new arrivals in Wisconsin such as the Pharoah ant and the Japanese beetle. We also had a guest speaker from the Department of Natural Resources. Bill Smith is in charge of the Natural Heritage Inventory Program. Bill outlined the ongoing program and asked for members help and input in compiling an inventory of rare invertebrates in the state. Collection records, distribution and ^ . abundance data will be used to get a handle on what we have in Wisconsin, arid what we could potentially lose through careless resource management. As might be expected, we have a poor handle on the invertebrate fauna of the state. We hope to keep in close Contact with Bill in the future. There are three dates that should be put onto this year's calendar. We have planned a meeting on 13 June coinciding with the collecting trip to the Cedarburg Bog 12-14 June. The field trip to Bob Dicke's cabin near Ladysmith is scheduled for 24-26 July. Details appear on the previous pages. Saturday, 7 November has been picked as the date for the fall meeting and Photo Salon. This should give members all spring and summer to take those award-winning shots. BEAR TICK UPDATE Phil Pellitteri Ixodes damini - what we call the bear tick around here and what they call the deer tick out east. This is the primary vector of Lyme disease in the state. Unofficially, there may have been as many as 500 cases in Wisconsin last year. Those who spend time in the woods should become familiar with the disease and the tick. A tick repellent that contains permethrin has shown good results in trials, and even kills ticks after 2-3 washings of treated clothing. It is marketed as Per manone Tick Repellent. It is legal to use in 2*4 states, but is not registered in Wisconsin. The company hopes to receive Federal approval for use throughout the U.S. this July. I will keep, you informed on the status of this product and where to get it if it becomes available. 11 GIANT CARRION BEETLE Submitted by Bill Smith Nicrophorus americanus Olivier, 1790 (Coleoptera: Silphidae) [Endangered Species Fact Sheet provided by The Nature Conservancy.] SUMMARY The largest of the North American carrion beetles, Nicrophorus americanus was formerly widespread in the forest regions of the eastern North American continent. Until recently it was thought that the last collection was in 1974, and the species was feared extinct. However, new records indicate an extremely limited distribution in Rhode Island State, and further surveys in primary forests are urgently needed. DESCRIPTION Nicrophorus americanus is the largest North American silphid (sexton, burying or carrion beetles), reaching a length of 25-36 mm (3,4,11). It is easily distinguished by its large size, but also by the red frons and red pronotal disc on a black ground co- lour (9). The antennal club is orange and the black elytra have two pairs of scalloped red spots (1,4). Detailed modern descriptions of the species have been made (1,4,9). _N. americanus is closely related to the European species _N. germanicus , which is similar in its large size, the orbicular pronotum, and the shape of the hind femora (9). DISTRIBUTION The Giant Carrion Beetle was formerly widespread in the forest regions of the eastern North American continent. Prior to 1960 the extensive records include Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Flo- rida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska (10), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennes- see, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C. and Wisconsin in the U.S.A., and Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec in Canada. All these records are listed in the report of a survey of American museums (14), unless otherwise indi- cated . From 1960 onwards, the only records are from Michigan (1961 (4)), Illinois (1961 (3)), In- diana (1965 (14)), Missouri (1966 (14)), Nebraska (1969 (15)), Ontario (1972 (14)), Arkan- sas (1973/4 (3)), and Kentucky (1974 (5)). With no records after 1974, the species has been feared extinct (5,13),. but a series dated 1974 to 1981 from the State of Rhode Island has recently come to light (7). Nevertheless, this must represent one of the most disas- trous declines of an insect’s range ever to be recorded. POPULATION The size of the population in Rhode Island State is unknown, but evidently represents only a tiny proportion of the Giant Carrion Beetle’s former numbers. HABITAT AND ECOLOGY Although the Giant Carrion Beetle is one of the most distinctive mem- bers of the North American beetle fauna, virtually nothing has been published on its natural 12 WISCONSIN ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP LIST - MAY 1987 David Abler W307 S8688 Woodland Drive Mukwanago, WI 53149 Elaine L. Andrews 3142 View Road, R.R. 3 Madison, WI 53711 Carl Anhilger Box 40 Clearwater Lake, WI 54518 George Balogh 3646 Woodcliff Drive Kalamazoo , MI 49008 Charles Behnke 2422 Upham Madison, WI 53704 Daniel Benjamin 1656 Chadwell Drive Santa Maria, CA 93454 J. Craig Bolles 3934 Manitou Way Madison, WI 53711 Susan S. Borkin Milwaukee Public Museum 800 W. Wells St. Milwaukee, WI 53233 Robert Borth 6926 N. Belmont La. Fox Point, WI 53217 Mallory Boush Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Mrs. Ernest Bruns 3602 Council Crest Madison, WI 53711 Robert Bryant 522 Old Orchard Road Baltimore, MD 21229 Byron Buchli 6 Goodland Ave. Deerfield, WI 53531 Wendell Burkholder Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison , WI 53706 ' Glenn Esenther 5102 Barton Rd.- Madison, WI 53711 William Hilsenhoff Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Dan Capps 702 Whitehall Drive Madison, WI 53714 Mark Evans Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 David Hogg Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Steve N. Chojnacki N82 W14502 Oxford St. Menominee Falls, WI 53051 Florence Ferge 2302 Town Line Rd. Wausau, WI 54401 George Hoynacki W180 N8191 Destiny Dr. Menominee Falls, WI 53051 Raphael Conde-Boytel Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Les Ferge 7119 Hubbard Ave. Middleton, WI 53562 Joan Jass 1171 N. 44th St. Milwaukee , WI 53208 Marlin Conrad 1809 Elka Lane Madison, WI 53704 Walter Gojmerac Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Jeff Javorek 903 S. C.T.H. X Mosinee , WI 54455 Patrick Conway 4533 Stanley St. Downers Grove, IL 60515 Walt Gould 10923 SW 78th Ave. Miami, FL 33156 Robert L. Jeanne Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Harry Coppel Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Herbert Grimek 1719 Chadbourne Ave. Madison, WI 53705 Tom Karl 3008 NE 145th St. #4 Seattle, WA 98155 Dennis Cronin 1525 Howe St. Racine, WI 53406 Paul Grimstad Dept, of Biology University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 46556 Michael Klein 1520 Silver Rd. Wooster, OH 44691 Jaret C. Daniels 12606 6i Mile Road Caledonia, WI 53108 Robert Habermehl, Jr. 4201 S. 91st St. Greenfield, WI 53228 Waldemar Kmentt Rt. 1, Box 66, Wood Trail Beloit, WI 53511 David DeSwarte 8670 W. Silver Spring Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53225 John Hainze 2822 N. Wisconsin Ave. Racine, WI 53402 James Knudson 6417 Landfall Dr. Madison, WI 53705 Robert Dicke 3717 Council • Crest Madison, WI 53711 B. Jane Harrington Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Jean Lang 222 Chamberlain St. Madison, WI 53705 Timothy Dittl 112 N. Orchard St. #11 Madison, WI 53715 David Herrmann 2045 S. Layton Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53215 Kenneth Lange Devil's Lake State Park Baraboo, WI 53913 Gene Drecktrah Dept, of Biology University of Wisconsin ■ Don Hildebrandt 3310 Wheelock Racine, WI 53405 Chad Long 2014 S. 102nd St., Apt. 305 West Allis, WI 53227 Oshkosh, WI 54901 Greg Lintereur 4530 Aztec Trail Madison, WI 53711 Gerald R. Noonan Milwaukee Public Museum 800 W. Wells St. Milwaukee, WI 53233 Phil Scholl P. 0. Box 1080 Browning, MT 59417 Thomas Tuttle 3232 Rodney La. Racine, WI .53406 Leroy Lintereur 1428 Mary St. Marinette, WI 54143 Lee Olson Rt. 1, Box 324 A Port Washington, WI 53074 Clark Schultz 448 Jefferson St., Apt. 204 Oshkosh, WI 54901 Thomas Vogel 522 Wisconsin Ave. Kewaunee, WI 54216 Kenneth MacArthur 15900 W. Monterey Dr. New Berlin, WI 53151 Lorrie Otto 9701 N. Lake Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53217 Charles Schwalbe USDA - APHIS Bldg. 1398 Otis ANG, MA 02542 Leni A. Wilsmann Mich. Nat. Features Inventory P. 0. Box 30028 Lansing, MI 48909 Robert Martin 1310 Orange St. Racine, WI 53404 Tom Parker 5009 Thorson Rd., Rt. 1 Sun Prairie, WI 53590 Mark Scriber Dept, of Entomology Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48823 Mark Wipfli Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Curtis Matzke 1817 Wesley Ave. Janesville, WI 53545 James C. Parkinson 1951 James St. Mosinee, WI 54455 Stephen Severson Route 2 Arcadia, WI 54612 Allen M. Young Milwaukee Public Museum 800 W. Wells St. Milwaukee, WI 53233 Tom McClintock 1329 Crowley Ave. Madison, WI 53704 Wayne R. Pauly 2919 Turbot Dr. Madison, WI 53713 Mrs. Winfield Severson 6517 Elmwood Ave. Middleton, WI 53562 Dan Young Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Stuart M. Mcllrath Dept, of Biology Univ. of Wis. - LaCrosse LaCrosse, WI 54601 James Mertins 2808 Greensboro Dr. Ames, IA 50010 Phil Pellitteri Dept, of Entomology Univ. of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 Laurence Phelps Route 1 , Box 64 Rock Springs, WI 53961 Katherine T. Sieker 5114 Marathon Dr. Madison, WI 53705 Bill Smith Bureau of Endangered Resources Dept, of Natural Resources P. 0. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707 Leon Zukrow 2719 E. Beverly Rd. Shorewood, WI 53211 Sandra Meyer 10320 W. Good Hope Rd. Milwaukee , WI 53224 Meridith Platt 4304 N. Woodburn St. Milwaukee, WI 53211 Steven Stowell 124 Langdon St. Madison, WI 53703 Philip Narf 2405 Waunona Way Madison, WI 53713 Tom Pleyte 4459 S. Burrell St. Milwaukee, WI 53207 Anna Threlfall Route 3, Box 130 Muscoda, WI 53753 Richard Narf 3911 Fish Hatchery Rd. Madison, WI 53711 John M. Prescott 369 East Gore Rd. Erie, PA 16509 Maarit Threlfall 5518 Barton Rd. Madison, WI 53711 Richard S. Ness 2214 Harley Dr. Madison, WI 53711 Dave Radtke 5769 Lake Dr. Oconomowoc, WI 53066 Richard Topalski 317 Center Ave. Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 Mogens Nielsen 3415 Overlea Dr. Lansing, MI 48917 Ken Racke Dept, of Entomology Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011 Jay Turnbull 2807 Witters Saginaw, MI 48602 history (4,5). Fortunately the closely related European species N_. germanicus has been studied, and it is believed that the two species may have similar basic habits (3). Like all Nicrophorus , a pair of adults buries small vertebrate carcasses in the soil. The male and female work together, lying on their backs beneath the carcass and using their legs to lever the body to soft ground up to a metre away (12). It is interred in a cham- ber probably 20 cm or deeper in the soil, thus preventing other scavengers, particularly flies, from finding the booty (3). As the corpse decomposes, it is fed upon by the adults and worked into a compact ball, with a conical depression which collects nutritious liquids The female lays her eggs in the wall of a passage directly above the carcass, and the hatched larvae are fed on the liquids (3,12). Parental care usually continues right through to pupation (3,12). In common with other large Nicrophorus , _N. americanus was probably originally associated solely with mature mesic forests (3). Only there would the soil be of a suitable texture to allow the deep burial necessary to protect carcasses (3). In some instances, however, the Giant Carrion Beetel was able to utilize man-made habitats. In the 1920s the beetles were attracted to waste fish used as fertilizer on agrcultural land in New York State, but when legislation prevented this practice, the beetles disappeared (8). Partitioning of resources between Nicrophorus species is achieved by different seasonal patterns and particularly by habitat preference (2). There is no evidence that certain species prefer a particular type of carcass, although a certain type of carcass may be more common in preferred habitat. Hence, although N_. americanus has been noted feeding on dead fish (8), this would not be its natural food in forests. There are few data on this aspect, perhaps because most specimens have been caught at lights and night, rather than on carcasses (4). SCIENTIFIC INTEREST AND POTENTIAL VALUE The genus Nicrophorus is unique among beetles in the extent of parental co-operation and care of the young (12). The adults can produce a clearly audible buzzing sound by rubbing the elytra across the abdomen (12,13). The me- chanism is used when the beetles are alarmed, and also in communicating with the larvae, a most unusual behaviour pattern (12,13). Carrion beetles are also important in their role as decomposers of organic matter. Only about one third of the carcass is consumed by the adults and young, the remainder being left to decompose into a nutritious contri- bution to soil fertility (11) . THREATS TO SURVIVAL A recent appraisal of the biology of Nicrophorus species concludes that the Giant Carrion Beetle is mainly dependent upon primary deciduous forest (3), a vegetation type now reduced to less than one per cent of its former area in the U.S.A. (6). Two other large species of Nicrophorus , N.. germanicus in Europe and N_. concolor in Japan and China, are also associated with temperate forests. N_. concolor is common in the mature undisturbed temperate forests which are still quite widespread in Japan. Conversely N_. germanicus is suffering localization and reduction of its abundance throughout its range (3). So little is known about the present distribution of the Giant Carrion Beetle that it is impossible to assess any further threats. CONSERVATION MEASURES TAKEN None. CONSERVATION MEASURES PROPOSED Surveys are urgently needed in the major areas of primary forest remaining within the historical range of the Giant Carrion Beetle. If new popula- tions are found, ecological studies will be necessary to determine the species’ precise requirements. Suitable habitat, including any currently known localities, should be pro- tected and managed in accordance with the findings. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Endangered Species should be encouraged to declare federal Endangered status to this beetle. 13 REFERENCES 1. Anderson, R.S. (1981). The biology and distribution of the Silphidae and Agyrtidae of Canada and Alaska (Insecta: Coleoptera). M.Sc. Thesis, Carleton University. 2. Anderson, R.S. (1982). Resource partitioning in the Carrion Beetle (Coleoptera: Silphidae) fauna of southern Ontario: ecological and evolutionary considerations. Can , J . Zool. 60: 1314-1325. 3. Anderson, R.S. (in press). On the decreasing abundance of Nicrophorus americanus Olivier (Coleoptera: Silphidae) in eastern North America. Coleop . Bull . 36. 4. Anderson, R.S. and Peck. S.B. (subm.). The Silphidae and Agyrtidae of Canada and Alaska. Coleoptera: Silphidae, Agyrtidae. 5. Davis, L.R., Jr. (1980). Notes on beetle distributions, with a discussion of Nicro- phorus americanus Olivier and its abundance in collections (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Lampyridae and Silphidae). Coleop. Bull. 34: 245-251. 6. Delcourt, H.R. and Harris-, W.F. (1980). Carbon budget of southeastern U.S. biota: analysis of historical change in trend from source to sink. Science 10: 321-323. 7. Drewry, G. (1982). In litt., 19 August. 8. Latham, R. (1977). In litt., to L.J. Milne, 7 January. 9. Madge, R.B. (1958). A taxonomic study of the genus Necrophorus in America north of Mexico (Coleoptera, Silphidae). M.Sc. thesis, University of Illinois. 10. Meserve, F.G. (1936). The Silphidae of Nebraska. Ent . News 47: 132-134. 11. Milne, L.J. (1982). In litt., 27 August. 12. Milne, L.J. and Milne, M. (1976). The social behaviour of burying beetles. Sci . Amer . 235: 84-89. 13. Milne, L.J. and Miln, M. (1980). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders . A. A. Knopf, New York. 989 pp. 14. Perkins, P.D.P. (1980). North American Insect Status Review. Contract 14-160009-79-052 final report to U.S.D.I. Office of Endangered Species. 345 pp. 15. Ratcliffe, B.C. (1982). In litt., 26 August. We are grateful to R.S. Anderson, G.E. Drewry, R.B. Madge, L.J. Milne, S.B. Peck, B.C. Ratcliffe, T.J. Spilman, R.T. Thompson and G.B. Wiggins for information provided for this account. Natural Herita ge Inventory Pro g ram In 1980, several southern Wisconsin counties inventoried 10 years earlier were resurveyed. The follow-up revealed a loss of 10 percent of the natural areas previously identified and another 10 percent seriously damaged. In times of rapid development, a tool to identify natural areas and the many plant and animal communities that may inhabit them is critical to preservation of rare species statewide. In 1985 the Natural Heritage Inventory program was established to provide an on-going, up-to-date storehouse of ecological information f