Ptinus sexpunctatus Panzer

This specimen of Ptinus sexpunctatus Panzer was collected in a nest of the Blue Orchard Mason Bee, Osmia lignaria Say (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in June, 2003 in Upper Canard, Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada by Cory Sheffield.

In Great Britain (Murray 2003) reports that "This tiny beetle has the distinction of having been discovered in the nests of bees. It feeds on decaying insects ..." In Denmark it is reported to be endangered (Jorum et al. 1997).

The specimen is approximately 4.8 mm in length and is a uniform dark rufous in colouration. It has very prominent basal and apical patches of appressed white scale. The dorsal elytral grooves are very deeply impressed. There are minute s etae in the strial punctures and there are prominent rows of somewhat recumbent setae along each elevated interspace. The pronotum is without any condensed clusters of setae.

Papp (1962) provides keys to the North American species.

Ptinus sexpunctatus dorsal habitus	Ptinus sexpunctatus ventral habitus	Ptinus sexpunctatus lateral habitus	Ptinus sexpunctatus head & pronotum

References

Jorum, P., Kristensen, S., Mahler, V., Martin, O., Holmen, M., and Gonge, H. 1997. Red list of plant and animal species in Denmark. Danish Ministry of Nature & Energy. http://www.sns.dk/netpub/rodliste/78-bille2.htm

Murray, J. 2003. Marshall's Heath Nature Reserve.

Papp, C.S. 1962. An illustrated and descriptive catalogue of the Ptinidae of North America. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, 5: 367-423.

Philips, T.K. 2002 Anobiidae Fleming 1821. In: Arnett, R.H. Jr., M.C. Thomas, P.E. Skelley, and J.H. Frank [eds.]. 2002. American Beetles, Volume 2: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. CRC Press, Boca Raton, USA. pp. 245-260.

Many thanks to Andrew Duff, Keith Phillips, and Boris Bueche for assistance with the determination.

(c) All rights reserved. Christopher Majka & Empty Mirrors Press. Document created 16 December 2004.