Host Records of Parasitic Staphylinids of the Genus Aleochara in America (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

Abstract

The larval stages of all species of Aleochara in which life histories have been investigated are ectoparasites on the pupae of Diptera within the puparium. The adults are active predators of dipteran eggs and larvae, often destroying enormous numbers. This fact has been demonstrated conclusively with Aleochara bilineata , a parasite of the cabbage maggot, Hylemya brassicae (Wadsaworth 1915, Colhoun 1953). Other species of Aleochara have not been so extensively investigated, but some host records are known. A table of these is given in which new host records are reported.