big-eyed small tan autumn beetles - Cryptophagus Nashua and Hollis, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, USA November 6, 2005 Size: 2 mm
Well, what else *should* I call them? They were flying in November, they're small and tan and they come in two sizes, with the smaller size (this one) having an eye diameter of about two-thirds the distance between antennal bases -- the other type about one-half the same dimension. I don't know if this represents sexual (or some other) dimorphism, or two similar species.
These linked images are almost certainly of different individuals of the 2mm type, taken on V A R I O U S dates between Nov. 1 and Nov. 7, which it is impossible to communicate in the date field on this site.
Amusingly, during the flight period for these beetles, I undertook to discover what bizarre new species (to me anyway) might inhabit an old bluejay nest. I concocted a Berlese funnel sort of thing to drive the mysterious inhabitants away from the lightbulbs, down through the nest material, and into the cool, moist, dark chamber below. I got one insect for my troubles -- one of these (smaller of the two forms) beetles. I'm fairly convinced it just happened to land in the nest, as they were landing on everything else during this week-or-so period.
Images of this individual: tag all Contributed by Jim McClarin on 18 November, 2005 - 6:59pm Last updated 1 June, 2016 - 8:07am |