Proctacanthella leucopogon (Williston)

Asilus leucopogon Williston, 1893b: 75 .

Recognition characters: Brown species; length 15–16 mm; mystax white; thorax brown pollinose; scutellar setae and bristles white; wings hyaline; abdomen brown pollinose; male genitalia without white pencil of setae, legs similar to P. cacopiloga; females can be separated on the basis that all setae on the underside of the first antennal segment are white in this species whereas in P. cacopiloga some are black; female P. leucopogon also have light colored setae/bristles dorsally on the hind tarsi ( P. cacopiloga have dark setae).

Distribution: BIG HORN: Lovell, WANG, LTA, 7 Aug. 2004 (CSU, GMAD). CONVERSE: Glenrock, Dave Johnston Plant, 6, 13 July 1974 (RJL). FREMONT: Lander, WANG, LTA, 8 Aug. 2004. GOSHEN: Fort Laramie, 24 July 1958 (DRT); Goshen Co., 12 July1943 (REP), 21 July 1944 (REP); Torrington, 18 July 1960 (DGF). LARAMIE: Pine Bluffs, 1 Aug. 1962 (RJL), 3 July–3 Aug. 1963 (LJS). NIOBRARA: 64 km N of Lusk, July 1895 (RM-UK). PLATTE: Camp Guernsey, WANG, 2001b (CSU, GMAD); Chugwater, 23 July 1952 (REP); 24 July 1953 (REP); Dwyer, numerous records, 23 June–17 Aug. (RJL); Guernsey, numerous records, 6 July–1 Sept. (RJL); Register Cliff, 15 July 1964 (RJL); Guernsey State Park, 16 July 1964 (RJL); Hartville, 17 Aug. 1963, 7 July 1964 (RJL), 9 Aug. 1964 (RJL); Platte Co., 2 Aug. 1945 (REP); Wheatland, 5 Aug. 1964 (RJL, FRH), 27 July–25 Aug, 1965 (RJL), T25N R67W S27, 6 July 1974 (RJL). WESTON: Newcastle, 11 km S, 11 July 1980 (RJL). Recorded from Wyoming by: Dennis et al. (2010); Geller-Grimm (2018); Lavigne & Dennis (1994).

Habitat: Saltbrush-greasewood shrub, wheatgrass-needlegrass shrub steppe shrub and grassland, and gramaneedlegrass-wheatgrass, grama-buffalo grass and wheatgrass-needlegrass grassland vegetation types. Protected gullies both with and without pine cover on the short grass plains area; rangeland.

Ethology: Rests on and forages from soil and vegetation, depending on substrate temperature (see Rogers & Lavigne 1972).

Prey: DIPTERA, Culicidae: Aedes sp.; HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera), Geocoridae: Geocoris pallens Stål, Guernsey State Park, 16 July 1964. HYMENOPTERA, Halictidae: Halictus sp. (two records) ( COLEOPTERA, DIPTERA, HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera), HYMENOPTERA, ORTHOPTERA (see Dennis et al. 2010; Lavigne & Dennis 1994; Rogers & Lavigne 1972).