Phoenicus sanguinipennis was described by Lacordaire in 1869 based on one male specimen of unknown origin. We rediscovered this species 135 years later in the Punta Cana region in La Altagracía Province of eastern Dominican Republic (18°30.477′N, 68°22.499′W). Twenty-seven specimens were collected at lights and on dead Maclura tinctoria (Linnaeus) D. Don ex Steudel (Moraceae). We provide a thorough description of the species and the previously unknown female, and a discussion of the previous and current knowledge of the species.

Male adults of the firefly Pyrocoelia pectoralis discharge fluids from along elytral and pronotal margins and around the antennal sockets, but females when tactually stimulated only discharge fluids from pronotal margins and antennal sockets. Both genders, when disturbed, may also occasionally discharge fluid from the anus. With regard to its content of haemocytes and proteins, the discharged fluid conforms to haemolymph. A series of circular, but irregularly spaced depressions in the insect's cuticle along the pronotal and elytral margins seems to be related to the ‘reflex-bleeding’ response. Each depression features a centrally-placed columnar structure, which is connected to its surroundings by a thin membrane that easily ruptures and, once broken, initiates reflex-bleeding. The whitish and viscous blood oozing out is very effective in repelling ants. Reflex-bleeding in the adults of Pyrocoelia pectoralis seems associated with thanatosis and luminescence and, thus, supports other defense reactions that the beetle has at its disposal.

The leaf litter flea beetle Aulonodera darwini was collected for the first time in the National Reserve Fundo Nonguén. This reserve represents the last fragment of the coastal caducifolium forest in the BioBio Region, Chile. In this paper the species is redescribed and illustrated and biological data are briefly outlined.

The beetle family Colydiidae in the Maritime Provinces of Canada and in Maine in the United States is surveyed. Two species, Lasconotus borealis Horn and Synchita fuliginosa Melsheimer, are newly recorded from Nova Scotia. Records of L. borealis in New Brunswick are also reported, as are those of S. fuliginosa from Maine. The distribution and bionomics of both species are discussed. The fauna is briefly evaluated in the context of saproxylic beetles in general, and in particular in relation to the impact of forest management practices on such species. The possibility of Colydiidae occurring on Prince Edward Island is briefly discussed.

Gennadota canadensis Casey is newly recorded from Nova Scotia, Canada, extending its known range by 500 km to the east. In Nova Scotia it has been recorded in both cave and non-cave environments. The taxonomic history of the genus is briefly recounted, and the bionomics of the species is discussed within the context of that of cave-inhabiting beetles. Its presence in the Maritime Provinces in noted a region where caves are still in an active phase of post-glacial reinvasion and re-colonization.

Two subspecies of the gyrinid species Dineutus emarginatus (Say) (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae) are generally recognized in North America: D. e. emarginatus (Say) and D. e. floridensis (Ochs). Analysis of 10 mensural characters using principal component analysis (PCA) revealed no differences in relation to geography in support of treating the two forms as separate subspecies. PCA showed no differing patterns of covariance for the 100 specimens studied, suggesting no differentiation among the character suites for the traits analyzed.

Smicronyx obrieni Anderson, Korotyaev, and Lingafelter, a new species associated with ragweed [Ambrosia grayi (A. Nelson) Shinners], was discovered in Krasnodar (Russia) and Texas (United States), and is described.

Thirty-nine species of Cerambycidae are recorded for the first time from Iowa. New state records for the Cerambycidae are: Analeptura lineola (Say), Anelaphus pumilus (Newman), Astylopsis collaris (Haldeman), Astylopsis sexguttata (Say), Ataxia brunnea Champlain and Knull, Ataxia hubbardi Fisher, Bellamira scalaris (Say), Centrodera decolorata (Harris), Centrodera sublineata LeConte, Clytoleptus albofasciatus (Laporte and Gory), Clytus ruricola (Olivier), Dorcaschema wildii Uhler, Encyclops caerulea (Say), Goes pulcher (Haldeman), Goes pulverulentus (Haldeman), Grammoptera exigua (Newman), Grammoptera haematites (Newman), Heterachthes quadrimaculatus Haldeman, Leptura subhamata Randall, Lepturges pictus (LeConte), Lepturges regularis (LeConte), Mecas cineracea Casey, Micranoplium unicolor (Haldeman), Monochamus carolinensis (Olivier), Neoclytus approximatus (LeConte), Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (Fabricius), Neoclytus scutellaris (Olivier), Oberea ocellata Haldeman, Obrium maculatum (Olivier), Oncideres cingulata cingulata (Say), Saperda imitans Felt and Joutel, Stenocorus cinnamopterus (Randall), Stenocorus vittiger (Randall), Strangalia bicolor (Swederus), Trachysida mutabilis (Newman), Trigonarthris minnesotana (Casey), Typocerus confluens Casey, Typocerus deceptus Knull, and Xestoleptura octonotata (Say). New adult host records are given for Brachyleptura circumdata (Olivier), Charisalia americana (Haldeman), C. ruricola, Goes debilis LeConte, G. exigua, G. haematites, Neoalosterna capitata (Newman), S. vittiger, T. minnesotana, and T. confluens.

The bromeliad-eating weevil Metamasius quadrilineatus Champion is the native host of the tachinid Lixadmontia franki Wood and Cave, which is being studied as a candidate biological control agent of the Mexican bromeliad weevil, Metamasius callizona (Chevrolat), a pest of native bromeliads in Florida. Information on the reproductive biology of M. quadrilineatus was gathered in order to produce sufficient quantities of the weevil and L. franki for biological and non-target testing studies. Longevity, fecundity, and egg viability of M. quadrilineatus females on Catopsis hahnii (Baker) were studied under laboratory conditions at 21°C temperature, 70% relative humidity, and a 12 ∶ 12 hr light:dark photoperiod. Females lived an average of 17.0 ± 1.3 weeks (range  =  3–29 weeks). Survivorship decreased significantly starting in week 11 and reached 48% in week 19. Females initiated oviposition 3.3 ± 0.2 weeks (mean ± standard error) after emergence. In total, 593 eggs were produced by 30 caged females in a 22-week oviposition period. Most of the egg production (83%) was obtained during weeks 3–13 after emergence. Maximum egg production of 3.3 eggs/female/week was reached at week 8. Average egg viability was 33%. The highest percent egg hatch (77%) was obtained in week 8, followed by weeks 7 and 9 with approximately 67% and 61% viability, respectively. Mean egg length and width were 0.72 ± 0.003 and 0.31 ± 0.002 mm (± standard error, sample size  =  458).