SCARABS Hon k’wat dech’ap’ba, a:wiyanna

Occasional Issue Number 20 August, 2007 Killer Phileurini - or - WITHIN THIS ISSUE How Come Some Diplos Are Hairy? Killer Phileurini...... 1 Dispatches Speculations from the Diplo Desk - Part 4 NSF Funds Scarab Research...... 22 by Scott McCleve 2210 E. 13th Street In Past Years - II...... 23 Douglas, AZ 85607 [email protected] Letter to the Editors...... 26 Have you held a living Phileurini (= (1959, Bull. So. Cal. Acad. Sci. 58 “phileurine”) in your hand? Are you [1]:27-33), to wit, “In two cases sure it was alive? How could you scarab larvae were present in the tell? It pretty much did nothing, roots, in one instance associated right? A few Hemiphileurus illatus with the adult scarab, Phileurus (LeConte) have pooped a semi- illatus LeConte [=Hemiphileurus liquid smear on my hand. But illatus (LeConte)], which had otherwise a live phileurine in the worked its way up a burrow in hand might be dead, except for a root and destroyed a larvae of the resistance they exert when you Plinthocoelium.” BACK ISSUES Available At These Sites: try to move something, like a leg. They are kind of like those iron- Mont Cazier, a student of Coleopterists Society clad tenebrionid beetles that go predatory behavior in scarabs, www.coleopsoc.org/ catatonic when you handle them. and co-author M. A. Mortenson, nwslttrs.shtml Most scarabs go quiescent and noted (1965, J. Kansas Ent. Soc., University of Nebraska tuck in all their appendages, but 38:1:29) that “This [see just above] www-museum.unl.edu/ they soon begin to fidget and try to appears to be the first and only research/entomology/ escape. Not the Phileurini. These record on feeding behavior in this Scarabs-Newsletter.htm are different beetles. They act like tribe and indicates that on at least they are protected somehow. one occasion the adults may be EDITORS Rich Cunningham predaceous.” [email protected] The association of the phileurine species Hemiphileurus illatus, In his review of my first version of Barney Streit the cerambycid Plinthocoelium this paper Doctor Art Evans, Ph. D. barneystreit@hotmail. suaveolens plicatum (LeConte) sent me a proof copy of his then in- com and the living host of this beetle, press paper (1989, Evans, A. V. and Bill Warner Bumelia lanuginosa (Michx.) Pers., A. Nel, Notes on Macrocyphonistes [email protected] was reported by Linsley and Hurd kolbeanus Ohaus and Rhizoplatys auriculatus [Burmeister], with H. illatus (LeConte), out in what comments on their melittophilous was mostly just open Sonoran habits. Journal of the Entomological Desert at a lighted billboard by a Society of Southern Africa 51 [2]: bar at Scottsdale Road and Shea 45-50) in which they reported on Boulevard north of Scottsdale, these two Phileurini as predators on Maricopa Co., Arizona, 1360 feet bee brood in commercial hives in (415 m), on 17 July 1967. I pinned South Africa and Mozambique. it on a Styrofoam block to dry. The block went into a desk drawer In 1989 Art told me of a mention in that provided protection from a large tome (title not recollected, dust, but allowed air circulation. published by Junk) on honeybees I expected this beetle to dry up in which one American species, P. for placement in one of the cigar Plinthocoelium didymus, was implicated in invading boxes that housed my collection suaveolens plicatum. bee hives. If true, then this native way back then. Even in the Gleeson, Arizona American beetle is an opportunistic Arizona monsoon, beetles will dry. July, 1991 predator capable of adapting to Three days later I got two males of exploit the Old World honeybee. the same species, and they dried up quite in the manner I approved Art also (2007 pers. comm.) of in beetles of this size—about 25 informed me of another citation of mm. predatory Phileurini (1997, Moron, M.A., et al., Atlas de los Escarabajos But the 17 July female refused to de Mexico, Vol. I) where, p. 90 (my dry. Rather, she swelled up so that translation), Phileurus didymus I could see the whitish membranes (L.) “adults have been observed stretched tightly at both ends of preying on other dynastines such her pronotum—it seemed that as Heterogomphus chevrolati she could explode at any moment. Burmeister whose abdomen was However, the most remarkable ripped open with the mandibles and thing was how she stunk. Putrid fore tibiae to consume the visceral is not the word. Putrid with a contents.” Also, in the Moron sickening miasmatic fulsome volume I found another citation on sweetish element is closer—but page 88: adults of Hemiphileurus still not accurate. dejeani (Bates) “were observed attacking and devouring larvae I was familiar with Shakespeare’s of Passalidae and Tenebrionidae.” Hamlet by then, and the line No sources for these fascinating (act 1, scene 4) familiar probably observations were given. in many languages, leaped to mind “Something is rotten in the Hamlet and the Incredible state of Denmark” day after day Stinking Female All that follows as I checked this specimen. An flows from this single stinking unexpected whiff of corruption specimen. It is remarkable how engages more than one’s olfactory certain smells, both fragrances and lobes. That famous line lodged in stenches, lodge in one’s memory. I some neural nexus + that unique Page 2 got my first phileurine, a female of stench + this particular sort of beetle. I never got the stink again, Small storms of seven-year-old but phileurine beetles came again electrical circuits reviving and and again, accompanied by the line new ones being created occurred about corruption. in my momentarily arrested brain: that line from Shakespeare + that A seed was planted in my mind: same species + the memory of that Whatever could she have been stink! It was suddenly dawning eating? I had an early intimation on me that this beetle could be a right here that there was something predator! interesting in the diet and behavior of these beetles. I was lucky that my Adventures with Archophileurus first-captured member of this tribe Flash forward another seven proved to be so unusually aromatic. years to 14 July 1980. On this date the late Lester Lampert Thus began a series of very showed me where (AZ: Cochise entertaining little discoveries and Co., 1.3 km W of Portal, 1481 mysteries and revelations that m [4859 feet]) he had once (see accumulated for over 20 years, one just below) collected specimens small observation clicking into place of the flightless Archophileurus with another. cribrosus (LeConte). I was eager to collect this species, so that A Male H. illatus Caught With evening at dusk I searched the His Horn Wet Flash forward vicinity of Lester’s spot with a seven years to 4 July 1973: AZ: headlamp and over perhaps three Hemiphileurus illatus Cochise County, near Double hours I found three (one male, two Female (top) Adobe, 4050 feet (1234 m). I was females) rather widely dispersed Male (bottom) collecting in mid afternoon a series A. cribrosus specimens crawling, of that fabulous cerambycid beetle, with antennae extended, slowly Plinthocoelium suaveolens plicatum and apparently aimlessly, over (LeConte) in a grove (actual trees the mostly bare gravelly soil. It you could walk around under) seemed they were… hunting for of their host bush/tree, Bumelia something. That line from The lanuginosa (Michx.) Pers. Suddenly, Bard echoed again. I do not recall there under a board in the shade of now why I did not experiment the trees I discovered a male of H. with my three A. cribrosus. But illatus engaged in an unspeakable Editor Rich saved my bacon by (for a scarab) act. The beetle was doing an experiment himself. occupied with, and apparently eating the fresh remains of a Editor Rich, knowing of my lepidopterous larva of the smooth- interest, informed me of his skinned “cutworm” type, probably experimental results (pers. a noctuid. Only about 25% of the comms. 1987, updated 2007) larva remained when the beetle was concerning Archophileurus spotted with his wet head inside the cribrosus. On 29 August 1985, flank of the larva. I wondered, did he collected three specimens the beetle catch and kill the larva of A. cribrosus at: USA: Texas: itself, or did it find it already dead? Brewster Co., Highway 90, 1 mile Page 3 E of Alpine. A second label reads, over the ground. We might note “ex old cow dung 2 inches deep in two things in particular from these soil.” Also in the soil under the cow labels:1) The data on the Lampert pie he found scarabaeine larvae and Arnett/VanTassell labels serve he suspected were Onthophagus to illuminate the behavior of this gazella F. When he put several of enigmatic species, and 2) I for these larvae in a vial with soil and one am puzzled about the lack of an adult A. cribrosus, the larvae had pitfall and/or carrion trap records disappeared the next day, apparently for this species. eaten. It is likely significant that his three A. cribrosus were not just on Phileurus didymus Caught top of the soil under the dung pat, Doing It Too Just a week after as one would suspect if they were collecting the Archophileurus just seeking shelter: rather, they cribrosus specimens I had were down in the soil at the same another curious encounter with level as their possible prey, the another phileurine species. While scarabaeine larvae. running lights with Peter Jump 17 km southwest of Moctezuma, The only other previously recorded Sonora, Mexico, 944 m (3097 U.S. state for this species is Texas. feet), 21-22 July 1980 I noticed Paul Skelley kindly looked in in the beam of my headlamp a the Florida State Collection of specimen of Phileurus didymus Archophileurus cribosus Female (top) Arthropods (FSCA) and found (L.) silhouetted in an unusual Male (bottom) two specimens (this is a New State posture on a horizontal limb of a Record for Lester) labeled “Arizona, large leguminous tree. The beetle Cochise Co., vic. Portal, 15-VIII- was standing erect upon all six 1976, L. Lampert, running on legs with its pronotum arched ground daylight.” The emphases are downward and its mouthparts mine: Is it possible that Lester got apparently pressed to the limb. these specimens actually running? On closer inspection on tip-toe In daylight? How un-Phileurini-like I discovered that the beetle (a on both counts! Also at FSCA Paul female) had its mouthparts in found another apparent New State contact with the central portion of Record: USA: “15 mi. E. Hope, Eddy the remains of a smooth-skinned Co., N[ew] M[exico], VII-25-1957, lepidopterous larva. Both ends C. W. O’Brien.” of the larvae were present and still connected. About half of the Paul, in his thorough way, volume of the larva remained, continues: FSCA also has a couple with the open, injured surface in specimens labeled: “USA, Texas, contact with the beetle’s head. Reeves Co., Balmorhea St. Pk., This additional species + that line July 10, 1961, R. H.Arnett, Jr, and + the memory of that stink added E. VanTassell, crawling on ground another layer to the emerging in morning.” (emphasis mine). It pattern. seems from these records that A. cribrosus spends a fair amount of Page 4 time, daylight or dark, wandering Phileurus truncatus and 22 July 1981, I put one or two living The Incredible Lightness of scarabaeoids of several genera in Being Although innocent of eight of the same size 850 ml jars experimental protocols, from with damp soil in the bottom, each late June until nearly the end of species having its own container: October, 1981, I kept notes of 2 Polyphylla decimlineata (Say), observations and experiments 2 Parabyrsopolis chihuahuae with four Arizona P. truncatus (Bates), 2 Chrysina beyeri (Beauvois). All four were housed (Skinner), 2 C. gloriosa (LeConte), in one “Skippy” brand ™ glass 2 Ancognatha manca (LeConte), peanut butter jar, about 850 ml 2 Coscinocephalus cribrifrons volume, 86 mm inside diameter (Schaeffer), 1 Orizabus clunalis at the top, slightly smaller at (LeConte) and 1 Pseudolucanus the bottom. The lid with air mazama (LeConte), plus 1 male Phileurus didymus holes was retained and used. Phileurus truncatus (Beauvois). (Female) Various substrates to give the I also gave the occupants of each beetles both traction and cover, jar a disc of a wiener about 10 mm including soil, paper toweling, and thick. I observed them for a couple polyethylene foam were tried early in the experiment and rejected as unsatisfactory. I soon settled on a quantity of size 0, never-used, black rubber stoppers - enough to fill the bottom quarter of the jar about three layers deep. These gave the beetles excellent traction to burrow at will. I kept the jar at head height on a shelf above my desk.

In what follows you might wonder “Why did he manage to see so little of the actual action?” I finally concluded that the beetles 1) Preferred to work in the dark; or 2) Did not care to be observed, perhaps especially in such artificial conditions; or 3) Did not like me; or 4) More than one of the above; or 5) Something else? Proofreader Sonja at Scarabs headquarters. Quote: “Jennifer and I love working with Mr. Diplotaxis. Once, back at home in Douglas We both adore super-intelligent older men. Scott’s after a spectacular night of sense of humor is admirable, and he never gets blacklighting with the “The Most upset when we replace all those double dashes (- -) Grandiose Editor” in: USA: AZ: with commas. Note that we did not proofread the Letter to the Editors at the end of this issue.” Cochise Co., Huachuca Mts., Miller Canyon, 1630 m (5348 feet), Page 5 days, waiting to get some insight Even though the two females died from what they did. They all did rather early in the experiment, the something: ran or walked around two males seemed not inclined to their container, tried to climb or scavenge their bodies, in contrast to fly out, or sat quietly, at least when the female of another species. I was watching. Nothing very interesting happened, but the Ch. On six dates all of the beetles alive beyeri and Co. cribrifrons were so on that date were offered water in frantic they had to have some paper a shallow pool in Annie’s kitchen towel pieces or each would grab sink. Invariably they seemed to onto its jar-mate in a tangle. All drink while standing in the pool by ignored the piece of wiener except arching their pronota downward the male Phileurus. so that their mouthparts were This little exercise was a test to see submerged for periods of up to 15 what each of these eight species minutes. I arbitrarily decided that would do with a disc of wiener. All was long enough, but now I wonder of the other beetles entered my if that was not long enough, as no collection, and the male P. truncatus beetle ever indicated it was done went into the jar with two females by lifting its mouthparts out of the collected earlier. They were already water. I did not think of submerging wiener-wise. a mirror under them to try to see Phileurus truncatus the mouthparts working. They Female (top) Noel MacFarland kindly supplied never refused a “drink.” No obvious Male (bottom) the first specimens, two females movements of mouthparts were collected at his home in Cochise observed, and they could have Co.: Huachuca Mts.: Ash Canyon, finished drinking in perhaps the 1554 m (5098 feet), 25 June and 4 first minute, but these are singularly July. Bill and I then got that first inexpressive and stodgy beetles. male 22 July in Miller Canyon. And They seemed distinctly heavier I later got a male in Santa Cruz Co.: in the hand when removed from Pajarito Mountains: Pena Blanca the sink, so I presumed they had Canyon, 1191 m (3907 feet), 30 drunk enough. Clearly, access to July. As specimens were collected, water or abundant dietary liquids is they were added to the jar - first important to them. the two females, then the first male, and then the second male. One Many food items were offered. female died on 31 July, the other on There was no planning involved. 23 August. The first male died on I just gave them something Annie 10 October, and finally the second and I were eating, or whatever I male died 25 October. All expired caught in the yard or something specimens were surprisingly light I brought home alive from a in the hand; I should have fed and collecting trip. The only rule I watered them better. The learning (usually) followed was to put in one curve was kind of steep for me. All thing at a time after the beetle(s) those wiener pieces (see below) seemed done with the previous probably contributed. item. Page 6 Items offered included sections My beetles stood on their hind legs (discs ca. 8-10 mm thick) of and reached up against the side of Oscar-Meyer All-Beef Wieners™. the jar and worried the disc until *Editors Note: Perhaps The beetles used a lot of energy it came free from the string; this the beetles were attacking these inappropriate items. seems to show a well-developed commenting on the nutritional value of the They worked at them with their olfactory awareness. I was excited Oscar-Meyer weiners. clypeal horns, even with the lights just to see them do something! Then on, worrying off granular bits that they worried it into dry crumbly collected on the bottom of the jar. I bits. Late in the experiment I gave always liked these wieners because the two remaining specimens they had an especially aromatic (males) a longer section of wiener, smell. Possibly the beetles were about 40 mm long. The next attracted to the aroma? Maybe I was day I found the section with a just kind of stupid, as they seemed to actually consume very little, if any, of the sections.* I recorded an amazing total of nine wiener offerings. On one occasion I hung a disc with a string almost out of their reach. (I recalled the great Jean-Henri Fabre doing something like this with some of his Provence beetles.)

Proofreader Jennifer in the Recreation Room of Scarabs headquarters. Quote “It is an honor to work with Scott on these Dispatches. For a man whose body was chiseled in the image of a Greek god, he has remarkable humility. Compared to my bosses (Rich, Barney and Bill), Scott is a man among boys. Sonja and I look forward to establishing an even closer relationship with this remarkable genius in the future.” Regrettably, Proofreader Jennifer The incredible Jean-Henri Fabre removed several paragraphs from this article and has refused to return them, emphatically stating: “I know in my heart that Scott meant his poetic prose just for me to read privately...I don’t care if you fire me, they’re mine and you can’t have them back!” Readers: Don’t worry, Jennifer will always have a place at SCARABS.

Page 7 longitudinal laceration along most . Raw bacon. They soon attacked of one side. One of them had it with their clypeal horns. Later apparently grabbed it in a sort of it was reduced to small pellets of beetle desperation and fury, with fat, all the leaner portions having all six legs and had gone the length disappeared. of it rooting with his clypeal horn. It was like he was trying to open a . Fried ham. I observed one monstrous larval cadaver for more beetle working at it with its horn. suitable provender than that offered Most of it disappeared. by the cut end of the section. Also, compare this mode of attack with . Cooked beefsteak. This was that executed on the conspecific soon attacked, and was later male and the cockroach mentioned entirely reduced to minute below. It also had other apparently dry shreds and bits, with little random gouges. I believe now that apparently consumed, rather like these beetles have a stereotyped the sections of wieners. attack method: to attack with their clypeal horns until a membrane Non-meat items offered, with is breached and they sense more- results, in sequence, were: or-less liquid tissue, and then they feed. The aromatic wiener pieces I . Part of the cap of a large think were sensed as being of some mushroom. This was demolished sort of meat and therefore likely in part simply by the movements edible, so they attacked. But since of the beetles. I saw no attempts they never broke through to any to eat it while the lights were wet and yielding interior, they were on. A piece offered the next day stuck in the attack mode. Thus the was ignored. But why was the hours, and even days, of continued first piece destroyed? Were they attacks on the wiener portions. exploring it for larvae?

Other kitchen meat items offered, . Small distal end section of with results, in sequence, were: a ripe banana with the skin on. It was ignored on the first day. . Raw hamburger. A small wad On the next day one specimen was stuck to the inside of the jar was observed with its head and just out of their reach. Unlike the pronotum inside an excavation suspended-by-a-string wiener disc in the skin of the banana. On the they seemed to ignore it. When next day the section appeared to moved down within their reach, have been partly consumed, the they were soon at it. Rather than skin more or less empty of flesh, tearing it apart with their horns, much of which was smeared they pressed their mouthparts around elsewhere in the jar and on into the wad. Later the entire wad the beetles. seemed to have been consumed, as no fragments were found. . Small piece of cantaloupe melon. Part was possibly Page 8 consumed, but much of it was smeared around the jar. Possibly the offered one at a time. I did not beetles were simply trying to “drink” know enough then to investigate from the fruit. A later piece seemed whether these larvae were protected to be ignored, perhaps they had by noxious chemicals sequestered “drunk” to the point of satiation. I in their tissues. However, evidently detected a pattern whereby a new the P. truncatus specimens were item was introduced and more- oblivious of the warning colors, or-less demolished but apparently and immune to any sequestered not eaten, but the next offering of poisons. In the first offering, one the same sort was ignored. Could beetle stood over the larva and this reflect actual learning by the reached down and “bit” the skin of beetles? Thirst-satiation seems the larva with some components of simpler. its mouthparts about a third of the way from the head of the larva and Animals, all but one living, pulled up, lifting the larva partially including vertebrates, including off the substrate. The apices of possible natural prey items, offered, the mandibles are very sharply in sequence, with results, were: acuminate, and that intrigues me, but the beetles already have the . Two sphinx moth larvae about clypeal horn for opening specimens. 60 and 25 mm long. Later in the What role do these sharp mandibles same day the smaller larva had been have in the beetles’ tool kit? It seems killed and partly consumed. Three doubtful, but could they be useful days later all that remained of both in slicing open by spreading the were small fragments of dry skin. wound made by the clypeal horn?* *Editors Note: WAS (Wild One of our dynastine-studying Ass Specultion) Alert!. . Two scarab larvae (probably colleagues will someday figure this late instar Phyllophaga sp.). Within out. Anyway, the larva reacted about 15 minutes one Phileurus had vigorously to being “bitten” and found and attacked one of them. lifted; later this victim was found The sharp horn at the apex of the in two pieces and partly consumed. clypeus was used to rip upwards Later the second larva, which had into the midsection of the larva begun to pupate, was offered, and while it was held down at 90º to the the next day it was torn apart. Two longitudinal axis of the adult beetle days later only bits of skin were left. by both front tibiae. One Phileurus stood on its rear four legs and tore . In mid-August a large black a partly consumed larva completely hairy caterpillar was offered; it was in two by spreading its fore-tibiae apparently ignored. Later in the apart within the initial wound made same day an even larger very hairy by the clypeal horn; the external pale caterpillar was offered, and it tibial teeth, and the notch between likewise was apparently ignored. the two apical teeth, seemed to These prowled the jar more or less assist admirably in this attack. constantly. Some days later, both of these still-vigorous larvae were . Two large black and yellow released into my yard apparently Danaus sp. butterfly larvae were unharmed. I was disappointed— Page 9 only later making some inferences the intact bulb of a compound from the survival of these larvae. eye. The hind legs and abdomen I did not reflect much then on the seemed undamaged. A smaller fact of the mystery of these rare long-winged acridid grasshopper survivals from the Phileurus jar. was offered later, and it was noted after four days as having lost the . A live baby spadefoot toad distal half of its abdomen. Later (Scaphiopus sp.) ca. 25 mm nose– on the same day I found one of to-vent was introduced, with no the beetles with its head inside immediate interest shown. Next day the thorax of the victim. Later the the toad had entirely disappeared, same day it was largely consumed. including the skull and other bones, except for a single scrap of skin. . Three large (ca. 70 mm) and heavy adult Brachystola lubber . A large (ca. 50 mm) very grasshoppers. These are strong recently deceased neuropteran of animals, and they kick and bite! unknown genus was offered. One Over the course of four days beetle shortly found it and began two of these were introduced in apparently feeding at the distal sequence and killed and consumed end of the abdomen. About an by the last two beetles. The third hour later the only intra-specific grasshopper was offered much agonistic incident occurred (see later, and it survived longer, below). The next day the abdomen but was eventually consumed and the posterior portion of the after it died, apparently from thorax of the neuropteran had been confinement. consumed. . One large (ca. 30 mm) . Two acridid long-winged Stenomorpha sp. tenebrionid grasshoppers were offered. One was beetle. This genus lacks the a recently-caught very powerful all- defensive glands of some tenebs. It green one about 70 mm long; these was ignored for 14 days, at which go flying across my yard in a fearless point I released it. I suspect it had and noisy level flight, and they are no weak point for the scarabs to hard to catch. Three days later it was attack, especially as the elytra are apparently unharmed. The next day fused, which could have prevented it was dead and the two remaining an attacking beetle from using its males were observed with their clypeal horn to spread the elytra. heads buried inside the thorax of Only this beetle and the two the victim, one on each side. This earlier hairy caterpillars survived was the only time I saw two beetles the P. truncatus chamber of sharing an item that was a whole horrors. and recently-living organism. The next day the grasshopper was . One small (35 mm nose-to- reduced to fragments, the thorax vent) live Sceloporus sp. lizard. broken and cleaned of tissue. The The next day it was found dead head was reduced to two fragments, and largely consumed. Only a Page 10 each of which consisted mainly of few scraps of skin attached to the back legs were the major fragment male was mortally wounded and remaining; even the tail had was being cannibalized by one disappeared. Later these fragments of the females. His abdomen was largely disappeared; I could not find ripped off, and the tergites and the skull when I searched for it. sternites partly separated from each other in two fragments. Hemiphileurus illatus and the These fragments, and the thorax Jars of Death Back at the same up to the constriction behind the locality in Sonora in the dry season, pronotum and the genital capsule Peter and I collected (10 June 1982) were apparently totally cleaned of six individuals of H. illatus in the soft tissue. How she had managed Editor Bill’s Note: daytime in the leaf axils of a small In the late 1980’s to glean all apparent tissue down then coworker Jim native palm, probably Erythaea to the bare chitin puzzled me a lot, Hunter reared five roezlii. It was Peter’s idea to explore especially: How did she clean out Hemiphileurus illatus the intimate recesses of the palm; the genital capsule? from potting soil/mulch I had no notion that something in a containerized macroscopic might be living down mesquite sapling When discovered in her outrageous he had bought. Jim there. Like all of the phileurines act, the female, attacking from proudly brought the that I know, H. illatus is dorso- above and behind the male, had perfect, newly emerged ventrally flattened, but how they her head and forebody buried specimens into work managed to get deep into these in the male, with his elytra and in a jar to show me. I leaf axils, without being crushed related Scott’s tale of flying wings spread about 45º from cannibalism, spread or even leaving a discernible track the longitudinal axis of the body. elytra and empty of wounded plant tissue, plus no The fact that this is a reversal of abdomens, and evidence of what they were doing the normal mating posture did suggested to Jim that he in there, was wonderful to observe. not escape me, and added to my separate the specimens. We did find other insects, including Apparently he did not, wonderment, with perhaps a little as the next morning at some lepidopterous larvae about chauvinistic outrage. Did he get work, Jim related that 25-50 mm long, but none in close to mate with her first? The male when he looked at the proximity to the H. illatus. All of was feebly still moving his front jar that morning there the tissue they were in was fresh legs. Oh! The horror! Are H. illatus was only one live H. and green, and without any dead illatus left, the others females the more opportunistic all dead with their or corky or woody parts: we would sex, eating any superfluous males elytra spread open and hack and pry apart the bases of the and perhaps thereby ensuring the their abdomens ripped leaves with a machete, and there production of healthy eggs? Or open (via the tergites) would be an adult beetle! Perhaps is this perhaps a species-specifc and now empty. they enter from inside the trunk of activity? Just an artifact of captivity? the palm? We got six, one of which Recall how the males of P. truncatus was badly crushed and discarded. apparently ignored the moribund All were put alive in a cold ice chest bodies of their female jar-mates. until I could study them. Later, I wondered about how the On 12 June all five H. illatus other three females had kept their specimens in cold but apparently distance from the devouring female: good condition were put into a Were they not hungry? Or was this gallon (ca. 1900 ml) jar. After two evidence of a dominance hierarchy? hours I discovered that the only To prevent further cannibalism Page 11 the four females were separated A possible cause for this apparent into jars of ca. 225 ml volume. immunity from attack for the hairy Substrates of rubber stoppers cribulosa specimens emerged later. and lids with air holes were used. At the time I just assumed they I kept notes over the next week tasted bad or had better luck or (12 to 19 June). I summarize here superior evasive tactics. the items offered, the results, and other interesting stuff. For all you The three consumed knausii diplo lovers—finally, here comes specimens all exhibited similar the good stuff! forensic remains. They were reduced to fragments, variously All four females were offered two still articulated or separated, with live Diplotaxis specimens each. only chitinous parts and the flying I often have extras of these! The wings remaining. Even the head diplo species were of a similar capsules were largely consumed, size, about 10 mm long—D. reduced to the portion from cribulosa LeConte and D. knausii the bulbs of the eyes forward. Schaeffer. I was rather careless Microscopic examinations of experimental protocols: there revealed curiously pitted and were five cribulosa specimens, eroded edges of the thick walls of but only three of knausii. I cannot the capsule, as if a strong acid had explain this lapse. These two were been employed. just species I had at hand. While cribulosa is abundantly hairy on all Other items offered were one parts of the body, with really long adult field cricket (Gryllus sp.) hairs, knausii is generally lacking which was apparently killed, obvious setae except for a single and consumed. After three days line of very fine marginal hairs on one live subadult field cricket the elytral epipleurae. Some of was consumed except for the the H. illatus ploddingly pursued usual fragments. All four females their diplos (species not noted) for were given a piece of raw sirloin days, butting or hooking at them beef-steak, about 25 x 12 x 12 with their clypeal horns, while mm. Three females soon started some seemed to ignore theirs. I apparently feeding on their sirloin was unable to determine if any pieces, but one was still occupied of the females actually killed any with the immature cricket. The of their diplos. When I noted a next day all four were occupied diplo was both dead and being with their bits of beef. Hollows ignored I removed it. Over the had somehow been excavated in course of the week, all three of the the pieces that accommodated the glabrous knausii were consumed, head and part of the pronotum while none of the five very setose of each beetle. Soon afterward cribulosa were consumed. Indeed, I removed the bits of beef as a single cribulosa specimen decomposition was advancing and survived alive until the end of the beetles were becoming fouled. the experiment. Alert readers are At this point (14 June, three days Page 12 thinking “Another little mystery!” into the experiment) the first- introduced items, the eight diplo liquid, I should have noted that specimens, were all still living. in some way, especially as I have noted that this species uses its One large and recently captured feces in a defensive manner, when and fully-hardened and very first captured and later when being active, uninjured cockroach handled in my experiments. (Periplaneta americana [L.]) was given to one female at 10 p.m. But the P. truncatus experiments Forty-five minutes later when lasted four months, and they ate I returned and turned on the and drank a lot of stuff. When lights, the beetle had killed the I had occasion to clean the jar, cockroach and had it pinned to as after the mushroom and fruit the substrate with her head and offerings, there was never any forebody buried in the thorax of apparent fecal portion in the the roach from above and behind, mess, and I do not recall that they forcing the tegmina and the flying poop defensively. In retrospect, it wings apart at an angle of 45º is astonishing that the two male from the longitudinal axis of the beetles could consume those body. This is the same posture of two large Brachystola over just predator and prey noted when the four days, and I now think that I male H. illatus was cannibalized. had actually starved them. And Remember, once is a coincidence, perhaps their deaths were due to twice is a pattern. This might be a dehydration; if females have need standard attack posture for these for extra moisture, perhaps for beetles. Something waiting to producing eggs, this could account be discovered is how Phileurini for the females dying much sooner manage to catch and pinion than the males. Anyone planning and kill such large and active experiments with this tribe might prey items. On 19 June the four want to investigate their excretory females were killed and mounted. habits: Do they just metabolize I forget now why they never got all solid matter into their own any wiener sections. At this time substance? How do they sequester I concluded my researches in the or otherwise handle toxic waste tribe. products? Do they possibly sequester poisons for their own SOME AFTER-THOUGHTS protection?

Where Did All Their Poop Go? The Phileurini seem odd in In the experiments I never noted another way that may be related: any trace or accumulation of feces, Check your specimens for the liquid or solid, or any associated sort of damage from apparent smell. The H. illatus experiments predators that scar many scarabs; lasted only eight days, and all four my phileurines are almost without females were vigorous when I such injuries. However, I have killed them. Still, from the amount a female Phileurus sp. collected they ate, there should have been in the Mexican state of Nuevo some fecal residue. Even if it were Leon that stands out starkly in Page 13 this regard. She is missing both where only bare chitin was left? middle legs, and the left hind One explanation can account leg seems to have been bitten off for all of this: A beetle would just past the trochanter. This is a regurgitate its digestive solution severely disabled specimen: Did onto smaller and smaller bits of the attacker get enough of a toxic matter until all that was left was shock from the three nibbled- just enough to contain a single off legs to desist? Anyway, the droplet of the solution. Then the question of what they do with all beetle would stop, as the next the stuff consumed leads us to… droplet of puke would dissolve the last tiny bit of solid material, Why Were They Always Thirsty? and then both would be lost as I was repeatedly surprised by how they flowed away together on the readily the P. truncatus specimens substrate. The pieces of actual drank in the sink. Their lightness chitin were likely left because of in the hand before, and their the cost of dissolving these parts. heaviness afterward, also struck There has to be a significant me. Some of the observations of amount of evaporation with such their feeding, including how they extra-oral digestion, and this seemed to feed by just sticking could also lead to the dehydration their mouthparts against or into belatedly observed. The water the food item, lead to the inference budget of these beetles deserves that they feed by ingesting liquid careful study. Another issue has food directly. To ingest solid occurred to me: Perhaps they need food I infer that they employ a a lot of water to accommodate form of extra-oral digestion: they their feeding strategy. regurgitate a digestive solution that dissolves solid food so that The Fighting Phileurus On they can then imbibe the resulting 22 August 1981 during the P. soup. Remember the partial heads truncatus experiment there of the diplos with the shells of occurred the only agonistic the eyes left, and the eyes of the incident I observed. This was the 70 mm acridid grasshopper, and day I gave the three remaining how the bulk of the head capsules specimens the large neuropteran. seemed to have been dissolved? The female died the next day, and Also remember the “dissolved” was very light in the hand, so I pockets in the raw sirloin pieces, doubt that she was one of the and the pocket in the banana skin, combatants. That would leave and all the missing bones from the the two males. About an hour two vertebrates, even their skulls? after the introduction of the neuropteran, while I was working, How does one account for the with the jar of beetles right there fact that often a tiny fragment was at head height, I heard a clattering left—parts of insect heads, or a commotion in the jar. Now, the tiny fragment of vertebrate skin? substrate was the rubber stoppers, That cleaned-out genital capsule? so any sound would have to be Page 14 All those thoraces and other parts from the beetles striking each other or the glass of the jar. I Archophileurus “running on *Editors Note: Running missed whatever caused the initial ground daylight”!* The speed on the ground might be noise, but there was a slight pause, of the encounter was the most expected behavior, given that Archophileurus is and then I saw one beetle driving amazing element. Clearly they can flightless. Or, perhaps the the other very rapidly up the slope do this on very steep and irregular ground was hot and their (perhaps 40º) of the stoppers, a terrain, such as on the limbs or toes were burning... distance I estimate as about 100 trunks of trees. mm. They were positioned head to head throughout, and my What were they fighting over? impression was that they were The most apparent motives were using their clypeal and possibly access to either the neuropteran or their head horns as the aggressor the female. Since the female died drove the other uphill and the next day, I suspect it was the backward with a very rapid series neuropteran. One of the beetles of clattering blows of the horns was observed very shortly before as the aggressor’s pronotum was the fight feeding on the distal end flexed down and then extended of its abdomen. up so fast as to produce a rattle as their armaments engaged. The Wiener-Packing Papas Have There may also have been very you ever wondered about the rapid side-to-side parrying. I cephalic pocket that many male believe the retreating beetle Phileurini possess? The female was similarly exercising his pockets of some species may armament. The agility of their be non-functional. The sexual footwork on the uneven rubber difference strongly suggests that substrate and the whole-body there is a function for the male agility and dexterity with which pockets. This cavity is present they maintained their head-to- in many species. In the Arizona head posture was wonderful, fauna it is especially developed in and the transformation from the largest (ca. 35 mm) species, the Buddha-like solemnity I had P. truncatus, slightly less so in observed before was astonishing. the medium-sized (ca. 25 mm) When the upper beetle could H. illatus, and not even present retreat no further, they stopped. in the smallest (ca. 15 mm) How and why did the attacking species, A cribrosus. It often beetle know to stop, rather than extends back under the anterior plowing ahead and overturning or margin of the pronotum, forming tossing the retreating beetle? All a pocket partially protected by of this “attack” sequence suggests the overhanging edge of the a species with unexpectedly acute pronotum. As this pocket is senses and finely modulated located directly behind the clypeal impulses. Then for several minutes horn and recessed between and they stood motionless head-to- below the dorsal surface of the head, once again inscrutable, eyes, it would seem that juices or impassive. Is this subsequent fragments of food items, funneled face-off part of this behavioral between the two head horns, set? Maybe Lester did see his would naturally tend to collect Page 15 there under conditions that the consume the contents, and 2) beetles likely have some control the smoothness may also reduce over. Also, this cavity is usually any erosion of the surface of the the shiniest and least punctate pocket from the female’s digestive structure on the external surface juices. of the beetles. Parsimony strongly suggests there is something These facts tend to support the adaptive about these pockets. “nuptial gift” interpretation: 1) Both males were ignoring the Toward the end of the P. truncatus lizard and the grasshopper, while experiment another singular event similar live items earlier seemed to occurred. On 23 August the last be preferable. 2) Two beetles had female died. On 22 September I “fought” on 22 August, suggesting made a wiener offering. On the they were in good condition and next day the beetles drank at the feeling competitive. 3) There had sink, and I had the opportunity to been no female in the jar for over offer them the lizard and a lubber a month, so perhaps packing their grasshopper. These live items were pockets on 24 September was an eventually consumed, but on 24 attempt to attract more females. 4) September I noted that these live Late September in the southeast items were being ignored, and Arizona mountains is quite late both males were working on the in the season for any chance for piece of wiener. I wondered, “Why reproduction. Much of this did Cephalic pocket of a would they frustrate themselves not occur to me until after the male with the wiener bit while juicy end of the experiment, and I did Phileurus truncatus living prey were present?” Then not note how long they carried I noted an astonishing change their packets in their pockets, or in both males: They had tightly if they renewed them. Or, how and densely packed their cephalic they got the tightly-packed debris pockets with pinkish wiener out of their pockets. Also, one debris: This was clearly no might wonder “Why would wiener accident. Only later did I think of a bits be preferable over other reason for this wiener-packing. more natural items?” Perhaps the aromatic quality of this brand of As pure speculation, it seems wieners played a part. And 5) I did possible that this remarkable not observe this behavior in H. structure and its contents may illatus because the only male died provide an olfactory signal to at the start of that experiment. females that a male has been feeding and therefore may be in Why is it that I have never superior breeding condition. Even collected a male specimen of any more speculatively, its contents species with a cephalic pocket that could provide a small nuptial had any apparent dirt or debris meal. What about the remarkable in its pocket? Is this because it is smoothness of the pocket? cleaned periodically by females Perhaps this smoothness might he is courting? I searched for, but Page 16 1) somehow assist the female to found no ducts in the pockets themselves that might connect condensation? Sensory functions? with his pharynx for pumping A means of broadcasting an acid cleaning solution into pheromones? Deflecting air the pocket to clean it. I suspect currents? Obscuring the dorsal real experiments will reveal outline? What else? I know of no some surprises with this cephalic adaptive use of their hairiness pocket, which will qualify it as a for any of the hairy diplos. I just genuine organ if my observations want to plant this seed of thought are confirmed: In an animal or out there: Maybe hairy scarabs plant, a part having some specific are, in some cases, mimics of function. protected caterpillars? Think of those billions of nasty stinging Hairy Stories Remember how caterpillars out there, crawling the five hairy D. cribulosa were over the ground with impunity, spared by the H. illatus? Do you climbing the stems and trunks and remember how the P. truncatus foliage of plants: These models for ignored the two very hairy an adaptive imitative gambit are caterpillars? So, what did you legion. As with innocuous species come up with? It was not until (mimics) that use the aposematic much later that I saw a possible colors and patterns of distasteful connection. Hairy caterpillars or stinging species as a strategy are notorious for their urticating of deception, could some scarabs (and possibly-obnoxious-in- use their hairiness as a form of other-ways-to-lots-of-creatures) Batesian mimicry? It is in the dark hairs, and the two I offered to when hairy scarabs are usually the P. truncatus, and which active, crawling over the ground, they declined, likely were of this climbing the stems and trunks and sort. I should have gotten those foliage of plants too. In the dark a caterpillars identified—just hairy diplo probably feels to many another goof-up. How would potential predator very like a nasty noxious hairs affect these beetles? hairy caterpillar. Do predators Do they have to be “stung” or have to be hurt by every noxious otherwise discomfited to desist? hairy creature they encounter, I do not know, but I doubt it. before they learn to desist? Avoidance of organisms with Probably no more often than a certain aspect of hairiness is visual-hunting daytime predators possibly in the phileurine genome. have to be stung or injured to leave aposematically-colored animals Here is a bit of irony: Think of alone. Avoidance of noxious all those hairy scarabs out there. hairy creatures is probably in the Hairiness pops up in many genome of many creatures. How genera, including genera with cool would that be: Hairy diplos as glabrous species. Why was there mimics? Deceiving killer scarabs? selective pressure to produce and preserve these hairs? Species Some skeptic out there is objecting recognition? To collect dust to dull right now, “How come all scarabs a shiny exoskeleton? To collect aren’t hairy, if this is such a great Page 17 tactic?” It likely has to do with Phileurini that the species P. valgus the balance between mimics and (Oliv.), (cited as P. castaneous really noxious model species: The [Hald.]), has a U-shaped protection fails when there are too emargination between the first many mimics relative to models. two anterior tibial teeth. The sides Some really clever and thoughtful of the emargination in P. valgus ecologist is going to study (among are quite parallel, not diverging. innumerable factors I cannot even The other three U.S. species have imagine) the balance of hairy a V-shaped emargination. One scarabs and likely models in north could simply assume that the to south transects across, say, a unusual U-shaped emargination state of Mexico. My impression in P. valgus is a quirk of evolution is that hairy diplos increase from and is not necessarily adaptive. north to south, and from higher But the U-shaped emargination elevations to lower ones. Doesn’t also occurs in the much larger this seem to roughly match Mexican Phileurus didymus. the distributions and numbers There it is again, that twice-is-a- and diversity of noxious hairy pattern business. I also have four caterpillars? specimens of an apparently new V-shaped Tibial Notch Mexican species very like P. valgus Phileurus truncatus Tibial Notches—V-Shaped or (one male, three females) except (female) U-Shaped? Remember how one the male has different genitalia and captive specimen of P. truncatus, it is also unlike P. valgus, in that all after opening a scarab larva with four specimens have a V-shaped its clypeal horn, then inserted tibial notch. both fore-tibiae into the wound, spread the tibiae apart and actually This difference--a U- or V-shaped tore the larva into two pieces? emargination between the two This larva was almost certainly a apical tibial teeth--suggests that novel prey item, but the fact that there may be some adaptive the larva came completely apart significance to the shape of this caused me to reflect on “Would emargination. Let’s assume that this be a good or a bad thing for the usual mode of attack for P. truncatus in a state of nature?” adult Phileurini species is to rip Since the beetle can only attend a hole in the side of a larva with to one half of such a larva at a its clypeal horn and then, after U-shaped Tibial Notch time, it seems likely that the other feeding for a time, to open this Phileurus didymus half would be lost, especially if wound further with a spreading (female) phileurines commonly do their action of the foretibiae. Let’s hunting on tree trunks and limbs, also assume that each species as I observed in the P. didymus has a suite of prey species that attack: Rip a larva in two up there are different from the suite of and half is going to roll away. prey species of other Phileurini species. Perhaps the shape of the Cazier (1939, Bull. So. Cal. Acad. tibial emargination is adapted Sci.: XXXVIII: 169-171) cogently to the more optimum style of Page 18 noted in his key to the U. S. opening these wounds, reflecting the thickness of the cuticle, or the usually collected in low numbers.* *Editors Note: Predators sizes of (or some other feature) Some seasons I have gotten four are less common than the suites of prey species. Would specimens at light on one night, their prey. a U-shaped emargination tend and then none for the rest of to prevent a complete dissection that year. I believe, mainly from into two halves as I witnessed in observations and cogitations the attack on the scarab larva by concerning diplos, (see 2006, the captive P. truncatus? Recall Scarabs 17: 11-22) that some, the P. didymius on the tree limb in perhaps many, scarab species are Sonora. Its prey larva had not been reluctant flyers even though they torn in two, and it has a U-shaped do at times fly to lights. I have emargination. Or perhaps the collected, mainly in southeastern U-shaped emargination may Arizona and northwestern provide a better no-slip grip? Or Mexico, for nearly 40 years now, maybe the U-shape is a better and I believe I have never failed weapon for spreading the elytra to collect every phileurine I met. of hard-bodied prey, with the I have about 95 specimens—that U-shaped slots each engaging the is less than three a year. I suspect sutural edge of an elytron? It is that these beetles are far more axiomatic that species with similar numerous than ordinary collecting needs partition the environment in techniques reveal. complex and interesting ways, and perhaps these different shapes of Consider 1) How voracious fore-tibial notches reflect just such my captive specimens were, specializations. The clearly distinct 2) How rapidly, nimbly and size classes of the three Arizona fiercely they can move to attack species suggest a possible similar at least conspecifics, and 3) The partitioning of the environment by astronomical numbers of noctuid Phileurus valgus prey sizes. and other smooth-skinned larvae in phileurine-inhabited Curiously, these U-shaped environments, not to mention emarginations are lacking in the other potential prey. Also consider illustrations of both P. didymus 4) Something that is different and P. valgus in the Moron et al. about many of the smooth- volume. Is this a cline, where U.S. skinned lepidopterous larvae: They and Sonoran specimens have generally do not stay on their food U-shaped emarginations, but they plants, but rather they secrete gradually change to V-shaped themselves during the day in the emarginations further south, or leaf litter and such cover, and then just faulty illustrations? at dusk they make a trek back up their food plants. Gardeners The Effect of the Phileurini in (like myself) know that finding the Environment We have a dispersed individual cutworms huge realm of ignorance on how in the daytime is kind of unusual Phileurini make their living. They even when they are present in seem to be very thinly spread large numbers. Doesn’t this in the environment, as they are pattern just invite the evolution Page 19 of a predatory class to exploit I thank all the colleagues and these juicy larvae by positioning friends mentioned above. its members at dusk on tree Foremost is my trophy wife and trunks and limbs to assess the devil’s advocate Annie Piedmont passersby? Could these scarabs be McCleve. She has let me play the nocturnal scarab version of the with beetles our forty-four years mighty diurnal carabid caterpillar together. I thank Charles Riley hunter, Calosoma scrutator Fab.? (now of Green Valley, AZ), a In habitats where both are found, colleague at Douglas High School this could be a splendid example for 29 years and best friend of habitat-partitioning! The role for even longer, and who often of the Phileurini as predators is collected with me, sometimes with Calosoma scrutator only barely glimpsed. What niches his son Bill, and who let me collect in the environment are safe from beetles in his Bumelia grove. I these ravenous beasts? thank Peter Jump (now of Ventura, CA), and also a colleague at DHS, Phileurini as Insect Zoo for many years of friendship Candidates These are easy and and fellowship on uncounted clean beetles to keep. There are collecting trips. lots of science fair projects here. These beetles need a professional Editors Note: Readers advocate: someone with the may find the following appropriate facilities to observe web site interesting: them under real experimental http://www.beetle- experience.com/care- conditions. Infrared light would valgusl.htm allow far more penetrating Editor Bill’s Note: It is interesting observations than I half- to note the many similarities that accidentally achieved. seemingly make the Phileurini the “dynastine equivalent of the I hope you come forward with Cremastocheilini.” These include: your own adventures, perhaps in the pages of this newsletter. Who h dorsoventrally flattened, usually will tell your stories if you do not? black bodies Will they die with you? A love of stories is in our genome, and h expanded mentum (presumably every one of us who passes on to protect mouthparts from prey) diminishes us all and a big part of that loss is the stories that were h usually simple, pointed never shared. Soon after Frank mandibles (externally tridentate Hovore left us one of his long-time in some genera such as friends, Lisa Lee (Pat Sullivan’s Goniophileurus, Trioplus, etc.) wife), said in an e-mail: h relative rarity in the field One is inclined to think about (compared to phytophagous what one passes on relatives) when there is so much passing on Page 20 going on. h death feigning when disturbed Page 21 National Science Foundation Funds Scarab Research Brett C. Ratcliffe and Ronald D. and park and reserve managers Cave have just been awarded a grant needing to know the faunal by the National Science Foundation composition of areas they control to conduct a five year biodiversity for establishing management inventory of the Dynastine Scarabs plans, educational programs, or of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. research opportunities. The study This research will provide the area is biotically rich, but it is also first extensive documentation of an area of increasingly intense the taxonomic, geographic, and land use where pristine areas are temporal distribution of dynastines succumbing to “development.” in these countries and will provide In order to manage resources in the means to identify, for the first developing countries, we must first time, all species. Collections in identify the fauna. The recognition the USA and study area will be of the importance to humankind of surveyed to gather data associated tropical forests and the mounting with specimens, extensive collecting concern for their future is well will be conducted, and new species known. Basic research in the tropics described. Authoritatively identified must be accelerated, and failure to collections will be established at do so will limit our capability to institutions in all three countries. contribute solutions to impending The research will contribute to scientific and human problems. the development of organizing and accessing knowledge about This will constitute the third insects, and it will promote the volume in a series of five that are infrastructure for future biotic planned. The first volume surveyed surveys. The result will be an the dynastines of Costa Rica and illustrated book-length work on the Panama (http://www-museum. Dynastinae of Mexico, Guatemala, unl.edu/ research/entomology/ and Belize that includes an dynintro.htm), and the second introduction to the three countries, volume covered Honduras, identification keys (in English and Nicaragua, and El Salvador (http:// Spanish) for all species, and detailed www-museum.unl.edu/research/ species accounts. Users of the entomology/Honduras-book.htm). monograph will be students and The fourth volume will inventory scientists working with dynastines, the West Indies, and the fifth will ecologists needing identifications, treat the United States and Canada.

Page 22 In Past Years - II - Ecuador by Henry F. Howden [email protected]

After our Amazon excursions, a weevil larvae (Rhynchoporus Artwork Courtesy number of students still wanted palmarum L.?) were found. Anne Delbert LaRue. to see the tropics during Spring asked the kitchen staff (three Break. Considerable time was spent ladies) if she could borrow a looking for a place that could house small pot to boil some water. The and feed at least 25 people at a water was brought to a boil and reasonable cost; we finally settled the larvae were then placed in on the Rio Palenque Field Station, the water for three minutes to 47km S. Santo Domingo de los preserve the larvae. When Anne Colorados, Ecuador. The station, then transferred the larvae to a jar while not as plush as the one at of alcohol the kitchen staff were Leticia, was surrounded by a small obviously upset. It turns out that patch of lowland forest near the the weevil larvae are a favorite food west coast, a rarity in that part of in parts of Ecuador and the staff Ecuador. Near the end of the 70’s expected to see us eat them! We we twice took a group of 25 or 26 did not try to explain what we were people. going to do with them.

Only one incident worth reporting Nothing much else happened. happened at the station in the There were a few muddy bottoms two years that we were there. In from falling in the mud, and some a downed palm tree several large people grumbled about a fairly Page 23 steady diet of rice and beans, but someone that knew of the place. most of the excitement occurred We then drove over a very poor going to and from the station on dirt road to the base of a hill one or the other of the two trips. just before the station where the bus got stuck. We had to unload In flying to Quito, we found the everything and carry it all up the airport was not the easiest place hill to the station, one unhappy to reach. Quito lies in a bowl and tired group. The bus driver, surrounded by high mountains when he finally got unstuck and and in the final approach the flight turned around, said he would not path curves around a hill just come in on that **road again but before putting down. If not lined would meet us at the highway on up properly, the airplane will wind our return to Quito. The station up in town. On one trip there were manager said he had a truck to get fairly thick clouds and the plane us to the highway, so we said OK. spent some time circling. We could catch glimpses of the city directly Come the morning we were below us, but the pilot decided to leaving, supposedly at 8 AM, it divert to Guayaquil on the coast. was pouring rain and there was no truck. About 9 AM we were We landed in the hot sun shortly told the truck had broken down thereafter and were off-loaded to a and the manager hoped to get “waiting room”. There was nothing another, smaller, truck; it might to do and we were told to stay in the take our luggage, but we would room. Since we were much closer to need to walk the two miles to the Rio Palenque than we would be in highway in the rain. So we changed Quito, I asked if we couldn’t unload back to field clothes and waited and get a bus to the station. I was with some of us starting to walk to told our tickets said Quito and that the highway to make sure the bus was where we were going as soon waited for us. Finally a small pick- as they could get a new pilot. The up appeared, was loaded and we all one we had, we were told, was new left for the highway. The bus was and just didn’t have the experience there, our luggage was loaded and (guts ?) to land at Quito. Hours later off we went toward Quito. Time: a a new pilot turned up, we returned little after 10 AM; boarding time to Quito and landed safely. Perhaps, at the airport 1 PM; normal travel some of us thought, due to luck time from station to Quito 3 hours. as much as skill. We were about 5 I told the driver if he got us to the hours late. airport before 1 PM an extra $20 was his - not a good idea if one Fortunately, our bus was still wants a safe drive on a mountain waiting for us and we were off road! for the three hour drive to Rio Palenque. After three hours it There were more challenges than was dark and we couldn’t see the just time. We were all in wet, landmarks for the dirt road turnoff muddy field clothes and needed a Page 24 to the station. Eventually we found change. So after some consultation, girls went to the back of the bus thank goodness! On our way back, and changed while we made sure Anne and I decided that THAT was the driver’s mirror was not aimed at our last group trip with 10 or more the back of the bus. Then the guys people and our resolve has never had their turn to dress in the back. weakened! Finally we all looked somewhat more presentable.

However, we had forgotten that it was Carnival time and that balloons filled with colored water were a favorite missile. When passing through a small settlement several balloons hit the bus; it was suggested that everyone on the curb side close their windows. One person said it would make the bus just too hot and our previous experience with the water throwers showed that their aim was poor. Need I say more. In the next town the first balloon thrown came through the open window and hit the non-believer in the side of the head. Fortunately there was little spatter, but one person now had a cool (wet) white and purple shirt.

The rest of the trip went well, passing on curves and high speed did not cause any major disaster Wood art by Chuck Wirth (author of those “Wirthless and we arrived at the airport a little Tips” in the ancient issues of this newsletter), now of before 1 PM, and I was $20 lighter. St. David, Arizona. We are not quite sure exactly what But that did not end the excitement. the message is, but like the subject matter. The airport was jammed, passports were waved with $ bills sticking out, and the ticket taker said he had no record of our group of 26 people! For a short time things got very hairy. We then found one of the people that had reconfirmed our flight at head office and, surprise, the ticket agent found that our group was indeed listed for the flight. After that and once we had boarded and taken off, the rest of the trip back to Ottawa seemed dull; Page 25 were still looking for someone to punish the next day.) We were afraid Letter to the Editors to get out of the camper or even shine a light off that way during all Are Chupacabras Real??? the rip-snorting. It sounded like it might be a whole pack of those fabled chupacabra devil-monsters. Dear Editors: One of our 3 light stations was demolished, bulbs broken, sheets On my 1984 3-week trip to just torn up into several pieces and western Mexico I took some cans wrapped around tree trunks and of sardines for baits. I thought-- tangled in brush. The cord from the well, the fish are small and the air generator to one other station was will get to them quickly, and they totally chewed through--there was already stink. So if I open the can a perfectly horrible tortured-animal Editors Note: We their essence will permeate the scream when the chupacabra’s apologize for all the environment. This was down in (what else could it have been?) unsightly double dashes lowland Jalisco where we found a teeth bit into the copper wires (- -) here. It is our policy not to proofread letters to little road that took us pretty well and the animal’s head started the editors. back into a spot with big fig trees, flashing blue and orange lights and vines you could swing on, pools of making a harsh electrical buzzing water in the streambed, stuff like sounds--like, “Uuunnnzzzfttth! that. Well, it did--I mean permeate Hhhhhschhhwunnnnzzz! the habitat--and attracted some Passshaaatttzzaaarrraaazzzmm!” kind of mammalian scavenger who There was a potent musky singed- cleaned out the can and crapped fur + liquid feces animal stink all the Editors Note: Not since on my pitfall setup and left very rest of the night. It (they?) slunked the Jimmy Carter strange paw prints. The next night off into the thickets, and did not “Swimming Rabbit (same place) I just poked some little reappear--but we did not dare even Incident” have we seen a small woodland creature holes in another can of sardines to check the lights until daylight (such as a coati mundi) with a nail, and again I attracted after the sun was well up. The strike so much fear in an another scavenger. Maybe the same sardine can had lots of fang marks anonymous adult human one--like it thought these were in it--and there was some blood and being. training sessions? Or free lunch? tooth fragments visible when we This trap robber, though, threw a turned it over with a stick. Made the ferocious fit--I guess at not being hair on the back of my neck and on able to extract the contents through my arms tingle! We left there as fast the nail holes. There was some as we could--I never saw my folding really awful thrashing around in the shovel again. And we did not do any vines and stickerbushes in a little more carrion beetle trapping with clearing--you know those legume the little-holes-punched-in-sardine- ones with the bullshead thorns that cans method. If you do, try not to those nasty, nasty, ants-from-hell do it in chupacabra country. live in? Well, one of those little stickerbushes was chewed off at the (Name withheld at writer’s request) ground, and 2-3 others sustained a Page 26 powerful lot of damage. (The ants