Sap Beetles of Berrien County, Michigan

The sap beetles (Family Nitidulidae) "feed on decaying plant materials, including damaged and overripe fruits and vegetables, plant sap, picnic foods and beverages, nectar, pollen, and fungi" (Dunn 1996). A few species may be minor agricultural pests or nuisances.

Some 36 genera and 183 species are found in the U.S. and Canada (Arnett 1993), with 100 of those species ranging to Canada (McNamara in Bousquet 1991). While Dunn (1996) claims that "only about two dozen species" are known from the Great Lakes region, 56 species have been confirmed in Ontario alone. As demonstrated below, as many as 21 genera of sap beetles may be represented in Berrien County.

In the following list of genera (and selected species) thought likely to occur in Berrien County, numerical notations in parentheses are used to indicate the known geographic distribution of each genus: (0) denotes widespread distribution, (1) denotes distribution throughout northeastern North America west to Illinois and Wisconsin, (1a) denotes distribution throughout the northeastern U.S. from Maine to Illinois and Wisconsin, (1+5) denotes distribution throughout northeastern and north-central North America, and (1a+5) denotes distribution from the northeastern U.S. through north-central North America (following Arnett 1993); (2) denotes recorded occurrence at Cedar Creek, Minnesota; and (4) denotes occurrence in Ontario (following McNamara in Bousquet 1991). GLR denotes occurrence in the Great Lakes Region (following Dunn 1996). Numbers in brackets are the number of known North American genera and species (within families) and species (within genera).

Family Nitidulidae (sap beetles) [36 & 183] {GLR}:

Subfamily Carpophilinae:

Carpophilus sp. (0,2,4) [31]

C. antiquus, Antique Sap Beetle (1a) {minor pest}

C. dimidiatus Corn Sap Beetle (4,GLR)

C. hemipterus, Dried-fruit Beetle (1a+5,4) {minor pest}

C. lugubris, Dusky Sap Beetle (1a+5,4) {minor pest}

Colopterus sp. (0,4) [5]

Conotelus sp. (0,4) [4]

Subfamily Cateretinae:

Boreades abdominalis (1a+5,2,4) [1]

Brachypterolus pulicarius (1a+5,4) [1]

Brachypterus sp. (0,2,4) [4]

Cateretes sp. (0,4) [3]

Subfamily Cryptarchinae:

Cryptarcha sp. (0,4) [6]

Glischrochilus sp. (0,2,4) [9]

G. fasciatus, Red-spotted Sap Beetle (1a+5,4,GLR) {common}

G. obtusus, Two-spotted Sap Beetle (1a,GLR) {common}

G. quadrisignatus, Picnic Beetle (1+5,4,GLR) {common}

Pityophagus sp. (1+5) [3]

Subfamily Cybocephalinae:

Cybocephalus sp. (1) [2] {IN,MI}

Subfamily Meligethinae:

Meligethes sp. (0,4) [8]

Subfamily Nitidulinae:

Amphicrossus sp. (1+5,4) [3]

Amphotis sp. (1a) [2]

Cychramus sp. (1+5,4) [3]

Cyllodes byplagiatus (1a+5) [1]

Lobiopa sp. (0,4) [7]

Nitidula sp. (1+5,2,4) [5]

Omosita sp. (0,2,4) [2]

Pallodes sp. (1+5,4) [2]

Phenolia grossa (1a+5,2,4) [1]

Pocadius sp. (0) [4]

Prometopia sp. (1a+5,4) [2]

Psilopyga sp. (1+5) (4)

Soronia sp. (1+5) [4]

Stelidota sp. (0,2,4) [4]

S. germinata, Strawberry Sap Beetle (1a+5,2) {minor pest}

Thalycra sp. (0,4) [14]

Last revised: 3/24/09.