Puffball, not pill scarab - Caenocara

Un-frassed

I've got some shots here that are useful for pointing out features, so I'm re-directing them to genus page.

… Jim McClarin, 17 January, 2006 - 6:22pm

I had hoped

It was definitely a long shot, nice shots though.

Pill Scarabs (Ceratocanthidae) were only recently found as far north as Canada - so maybe NH? I occasionally see these at light, but more often under bark of pretty rotten deciduous trees. They roll up so compactly that they appear to be only part of a beetle. Larva reportedly in Passalid frass.

Howden, H.F. 1992. First Canadian record of the subfamily Ceratocanthinae
(Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 46(3): 273.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 17 January, 2006 - 6:49am

I guess pill scarab larvae eat other stuff too,

otherwise they wouldn't get too far north of a passalid population.

… Jim McClarin, 17 January, 2006 - 6:06pm

of course

They appear to require quite decomposed wood - Passalid frass would be a good source. Most that I've found were in fairly rotten logs or branches that practically fall apart in your hands.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 17 January, 2006 - 7:59pm

Are they in the 2mm range?

I'll keep a sharp eye out for black pills in beetle frass and pulpy wood.

btw, Margaret Thayer informs me Brachy*pteridae is the better name for Kater*idae. I want to see what Andy Cline says since he studies them. The Russians seem sold on Kater*idae.

… Jim McClarin, 17 January, 2006 - 8:10pm

yes, when curled up

They'd appear that small in the field.

On Kater*dae - It appears that the ICZN has ruled on this, (haven't read that opinion) which usually settles the matter - see synonyms section for specifics.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 17 January, 2006 - 8:49pm