Pyticeroides laticornis (Say 1835)

Chapman, Eric G., Leavengood, John M. & Dupuis, Julian R., 2025, The Cleridae and Thanerocleridae of eastern North America, with illustrated keys, updated distributions, and special emphasis on the Kentucky fauna, Zootaxa 5639 (1), pp. 1-88 : 65-66

Pyticeroides laticornis (Say 1835) ; Cleridae : Korynetinae (no tribal assignment)

Illustrations: Plate 5-C. Key to clerid genera, couplet 3-E, couplet 4-C, D

Distribution: TX to central FL to ME to CO.

- Recorded from: AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV, and Ontario ( Wickham & Wolcott 1912; Wolcott 1947; Knull 1951; Papp 1960; Barr 1975; Gosling 1980). In his revision of the genus Pyticeroides, Opitz (2007) suggested “perhaps” Mexico as part of this distribution because some Mexican specimens examined “do not differ significantly from P. laticornis .” Opitz (2007) otherwise did not add to the known distribution of the species.

Kentucky counties (Map 31): Fayette (10), Franklin (2), Madison (2), Owen (2), Wayne (1). Kentucky specimens were collected from the central part of the state in the Interior Plateau ecoregion.

Years: 1922 (1), 1952 (1), 2007 (1), 2009 (2), 2010 (1), 2012 (10), 2013 (1)

Months: May (11), June (5), nr (1)

Collections (17): CEWC (2), JMLC (13), UKIC (2)

Collection methods: Malaise trap (12), blacklight (1)

Natural History: Bøving & Champlain (1920) reported this diurnal species as a predator in (1) eastern red cedar ( Juniperus virginiana ) and bald cypress ( Taxodium distichum ) infested with the cedar bark beetle Phloeosinus , (2) hickory ( Carya ) infested with the scolytines Chramesus hicoriae LeConte , Scolytus quadrispinosus Say , (3) mulberry ( Morus ) and eastern redbud ( Cercis canadensis ) infested with the scolytine Phloeophthorus , and (4) hackberries ( Celtis ) infested with the scolytine Phloeotribus . These authors observed that eggs are laid in the entrance of the scolytine galleries, the larvae feed on eggs, first instar larvae and dead adult scolytines, overwinter as larvae and then pupate in spring in the scolytine’s primary egg gallery, emerging in June in New York. Hoffman (1940) reared it from elm ( Ulmus ) infested with the smaller European elm bark beetle ( Scolytus multistriatus (Marsham)) . Knull (1951) reported that it preys on Phloeotribus liminaris (Harris) infesting black cherry ( Prunus serotina ) and on Phloeosinus taxodii Wood in bald cypress. Opitz (2007) reported specimens collected from Leyland cypress ( Cupressocyparis leylandii (= Hesperotropsis × leylandii )) infested with scolytines. Lambdin et al. (2015) observed larvae feed on the walnut twig beetle ( Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman ) within its galleries.

Chemical lures: Conophthorin + ethanol (VanDerLaan & Ginzel 2013).