150 Swarming observation of armiger (Scopoli, 1772) ...

Short Note

Swarming observation of Odonteus armiger (Scopoli, 1772) (Coleoptera: )

Dmitry Telnov

Stopiņu novads, Dārza iela 10, LV-2130, Dzidriņas, Latvia; e-mail: anthicus@ gmail.com

Odonteus armiger is the stones, possible in fruit bodies of single representative of burrowers Tuberales fungi (truffles), eventually (Geotrupidae: ) in on Tuber aestivum”. On British Islands eastern and northern Europe. These (Scott & Scott 2008), this species 6 to 10 mm long, strongly convex occurs in grassland and heathland are uncommon in the whole on chalky or sandy soils. They are distribution area covering most of subterranean and occasionally found Europe (except polar latitudes), as in and around rabbit burrows, possibly well as Turkey (Král et al. 2006), feeding on subterranean fungi. O. and very little is known about their armiger has been found under dry bionomy. cow dung and sheep droppings. Most sources say this species Adults recorded flying in the evening is “possibly associated with in hot weather and have been noted to subterranean fungi” and that “adults fly in the afternoon in cooler weather. fly in daylight and at dusk” (Bunalski Adults have been observed from May 1999, Reichholf 1993). Koch (1991) to November, though most records are gives the following information on from June and July. A high proportion ecology of O. armiger in Central of records of this are from light Europe: “Stenotopic, xerophilic, traps. In Latvia, two findings have pholeophilic, subterranean and been hitherto recorded (Spuris 1991, possible mycetophagous species. Telnov et al. 2005), one of them in a Habitats: Semi-dry and dry grasslands light trap. and forest edges, sandy flood-plains, At 11th and 25th of September quarries, parks and gardens. Occurs 2011, an unusual and not yet registered in leaf litter, weeds, in faeces, under observation on the biology and Latvijas Entomologs 2012, 51: 150-152. 151

behaviour of O. armiger was made Král D., Löbl I., Nikolajev G.V. 2006. by I. Salmane (The Entomological : 82–84. In: Löbl Society of Latvia, Rīga, LV). Several I., Smetana A. (eds) Catalogue of specimens were observed swarming Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume in September (slowly flying ~30-40 3. – Scirtoidea cm over the low grass) in a garden in – Dasciloidea – Buprestoidea – Ogre, Central Latvia (Ogre, Pārogre, Byrrhoidea. Stenstrup, Apollo Pagasta iela 8). Specimens were Books: 690 pp. flying slowly on a sunny afternoon Reichholf J.H. 1993. Lichtfallenfunde (between 14:00 and 16:00) with an des Klapphornkäfers Odontaeus average temperature ranging 17- armiger im niederbayerischen 18°C. A maximum of 4 beetles were Inntal. – Mitteilungen der seen flying at once and the specimens Zoologischen Gesellschaft caught were all females. After landing, Braunau 5, No. 17/19: 389-390. all beetles dug into typical sandy clay Scott D., Scott J. 2008. Odontaeus garden soil and disappeared into it armiger (Scopali 1772) [sic!] within a few seconds (Fig. 1), leaving Coleoptera: Geotrupidae at only small openings of their burrows. Astley Burf. – Worcestershire To our knowledge, such swarming Records 24: 11. has not been recorded for Odonteus Spuris Z. 1991. Catalogue of the armiger. Moreover, the observation of Latvia. 9. The Family of several of specimens of this rare Scarabaeidae. – Latvijas species (considered solitary insects) Entomologs 34: 5-27 [in seems highly interesting. Latvian, English abstract]. Telnov D., Gailis J., Kalniņš M., Napolov A., Piterāns U., Vilks References K., Whitehead P.F. 2005. Contributions to the Knowledge Bunalski M. 1999. Die Blatthornköfer of Latvian Coleoptera. 4. – Mitteleuropas. Coleoptera, Latvijas Entomologs 42: 18-47. Scarabaeoidea. Bestimmung – Verbreitung – Ökologie. Bratislava: 80 pp. Received: November 20, 2011. Koch K. 1991. Die Käfer Mitteleuropas. Ökologie. Volume 2. Krefeld, Goecke & Evers: 382 pp. 152 Swarming observation of Odonteus armiger (Scopoli, 1772) ...

Figure 1a-d. Female specimen of Odonteus armiger (Scopoli, 1772) digging into the ground.