Genus Bittacus

Author of genus is Latreille, 1805.

Appears to be from Greek Bittakos/Byttakos (βιττακος/βυττακος), early spelling of Greek Psittakos, meaning parrot. (Arnott, Birds in the Ancient World from A to Z, Routledge, 2007--via Googlebooks). Bittacus is also listed by Forror as Greek, meaning parrot (1). Named for the long "beak", resembling (vaguely) that of a parrot?

By far the largest genus of the family, with 7 spp. north of Mexico (over 120 worldwide: 51 in Africa, 37 in Asia, 25 in Central & South America, 2 in Europe, and 1 in Australia)(World Checklist):

12-15 mm

Bittacus are typical members of family, wings unmarked, rest with wings folded. B. chlorostigma has green patch (stigma) on front margin of wing, found in southern California.

Worldwide; in North America, mostly the eastern half of the continent, with just one Pacific species (B. chlorostigma: CA, OR), one species restricted to KS, TX, and NM (B. texanus), and five widely distributed over the eastern states (B. occidentis west to AZ; B. strigosus northwest to MT; the rest reach areas west of the Mississippi to NE--TX), with three ranging into Canada (two along the se. border and one west to MB). (Webb et al., 1975; Cheung et al., 2006; World Checklist)

Woodlands.

May-October (various species, North Carolina)

Predatory on smaller insects, esp. dipterans.

Eggs often laid on clumps of moss. Larvae resemble caterpillars, hunt for prey (and consume decaying matter?) there. See family account.