Phyllobaenus unifasciatus (Say, 1825)

Chapman, Eric G., Leavengood, John M. & Dupuis, Julian R., 2025, The Cleridae and Thanerocleridae of eastern North America, with illustrated keys, updated distributions, and special emphasis on the Kentucky fauna, Zootaxa 5639 (1), pp. 1-88 : 61

Phyllobaenus unifasciatus (Say, 1825) ; Cleridae : Clerinae : Hydnocerini

Illustrations: Plate 4-K. Phyllobaenus key, couplet 10-C, couplet 11-E, couplet 12-A

Distribution: TX to FL to NB to WI to UT and south into Mexico.

- Recorded from: AL, AR, CO, DC, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Mexico ( Wolcott 1909; Wickham & Wolcott 1912; Wolcott 1947; Papp 1960; Barr 1975; Gosling 1980; Downie & Arnett 1996; Pack & Thomas 1998; Eliason & Potter 2000; Sikes 2003; Majka 2006; Dorshorst & Young 2008; Steury & Leavengood 2018; Hernandez-May et al. 2021; BugGuide). Literature records from Arizona and New Mexico (e.g., Wolcott, 1947) are probably misidentifications of similar species like P. niveifascius (Schaeffer) .

- New State Records: ARKANSAS: Garland County: Hickory Nut Mtn., cpgd/picnic area off Hickory Mtn. Rd. , light, 3-VI-2011 , EG Chapman & JM Leavengood ( JMLC, 1); Logan County: 8.5 mi SE Boonville , beating veg., 1000’, 30-V-1984 , J. Pakaluk ( SEMC, 1) . GEORGIA: Clark County: Whitehall Forest , 18-IV-1975, 4- V-1975, 11-V-1975, 12-V-1975, 30-V-1973, 2-VI-1978 , R. H. Turnbow ( FSCA, 6); Emanuel County: 5.9km NE Norristown Ohoopee Dunes Natural Recreation Area , 32-32-28N, 82-26-29W, 277’, beating Quercus sp. , 11-V-2003 , R. A. Androw ( RAAC, 5); Johnson County: 1 mile east of Kite , beating Quercus , 16-IV-1977, 29- IV-1976, 29-IV-1977, 11-V-1976, 25-V-1976, 22-VI-1976 , R. H. Turnbow ( FSCA, 15); 1 mile east of Kite , 15-IV-1978, 16-IV-1977, 29-IV-19-V-1977 , R. H. Turnbow ( FSCA, 3); 1 mile east of Kite , sticky trap, 29-IV-19-V-1977 , R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 26); 1 mile east of Kite , on Quercus laevis , 29-IV-1976, 11-V-1976 , R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 10) . MARYLAND: Prince George’s County: College Park , 27-V-1948 , B. K. Dozier ( FSCA, 1); Riverdale , in building, 8-VI-1951 , B. K. Dozier ( FSCA, 1) . MISSOURI: Dade County: 3 miles southeast of Lockwood, Indigo Prairie Conservation Area , on Diospyros virginiana , 22-V-2001 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1); Fernon County: 2-VI-1959 , J. W. McReynolds ( UMRM, 1); Franklin County: Fern Glenn , 12-VI-1903 , Dr. G. W. Bock ( UMRM, 1); Henry County: 14 miles southeast of Clinton , beating Carya ovata , 26-VI-1976 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1); 7 miles east of Clinton , on Diospyros virginiana , 26-VI-1976 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1); 14 miles southeast of Clinton , 16-VI-1974 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1); 7 miles east of Clinton , on Diospyros virginiana , 17-VI-1973 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1); 14 miles southeast of Clinton , on Quercus , 1-VII-1973 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1); Jackson County: Raytown at ultraviolet light, 2-VII-1975 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1); Kansas City , 11-VII-1968 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1); Blue Springs , on Gleditsia triacanthos , 28-VI-2006 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1); Burr Oak Woods Natural Area , on Quercus macrocarpa , 13-VI-2001 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1) ; Oregon County: Mark Twain National Forest , jct. Hwy 19 & Eleven Point R., on Cercis canadensis , 2-VI-1976 , G. H. Nelson ( FSCA, 1). TENNESSEE: Marshall County: Hwy 129, east of I-65, 17-V-2007 , R. H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1); Franklin County: nr. Woods Reservoir , 9-V-2006 , J. P. Basham ( TSRS, 1); Wilson County: Vesta Cedar Glade State Natural Area , 4-VI-2014 , S. M. Clark & E. G. Riley ( BYUC, 1) .

Kentucky counties (Map 27): Caldwell (1), Fayette (1), Jefferson (1), Lawrence (1), Perry (1). The few Kentucky specimens were collected from scattered localities in the Central Appalachians and Interior Plateau ecoregions.

Years: 1951 (1), 1959 (1), 1973 (1), 2001 (1), 2012 (1)

Months: May (2), June (2), July (1)

Collections (5): CEWC (1), JMLC (1), UKIC (3)

Collection methods: Malaise trap (2), sweeping (1)

Natural History: Bøving & Champlain (1920) reported that larvae occur in galleries of the cerambycid Hyperplatys infesting sumac ( Rhus ). Knull (1932) reported rearings from white oak ( Quercus alba ) infested with the buprestid

Agrilus defectus LeConte. Sabrosky (1934) noted that it had been reared from unspecified galls. Pechuman (1937)

noted that it preys on the native elm bark beetle ( Hylurgopinus rufipes (Eichoff)) in elm in New York. Knull (1951)

reported it from elm ( Ulmus ) branches with wedge-shaped bark weevil ( Magdalis ) and currant tip borer ( Psenocerus supernotatus (Say)) infestations. Gosling (1980) reported rearing it from walnut ( Juglans ) logs (infestation not noted) and by beating it from dead sumac ( Rhus ) branches. Mawdsley (2002b) reported that larvae occur in the limbs and trunks of hickory ( Carya ) and oak ( Quercus ) and that adults can be found on herbaceous plants. Eliason & Potter (2000) found larvae in stem galls of the cynipid wasp, Callirhytus cornigera (Osten Sacken) , in pin oak in Kentucky, however, it was unclear what this clerid was preying on as there were many other insects in the galls. Label data above indicate collections from oaks (including Quercus macrocarpa and Q. laevis ), persimmon ( Diospyros virginiana ), shagbark hickory ( Carya ovata ), honey locust ( Gleditsia triacanthos ), and eastern redbud ( Cercis canadensis ). Dorshorst & Young (2008) reported collections from bur oak ( Quercus macrocarpa ) and northern pin oak ( Q. ellipsoidalis ) in Wisconsin and that flight intercept and Malaise traps placed in oak habitats (barrens, forests, savannas) were the most reliable collecting methods.