Bittacus pilicornis Westwood, 1846

Stark, Bill P., Lago, Paul K., Harrison, Audrey B. & Smith, William E., 2016, A Preliminary Annotated Checklist of Mississippi Mecoptera (Insecta), Insecta Mundi 2016 (469), pp. 1-15 : 2-3

Bittacus pilicornis Westwood

Bittacus pilicornis Westwood, 1841:196 . “America Septentrionale”

Distribution. AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV.

Published Mississippi Records. Fig. 45 insert map in Webb et al. (1975) includes Mississippi in the range of this species, and Byers (1973) reports “… a few teneral adults were present…” at the type locality of Panorpa vernalis in Claiborne Co. in April 1972. Byers (1996) includes the following Mississippi records: Hinds Co., locality unknown, 25 April 1981, W. Bicha, 1 ♂. Lauderdale Co., 6 miles east of Meridian, 24 May 1986, W. Bicha, 2 ♀. Lee Co., Tombigbee State Park, SE of Tupelo, 18 May 1993, G.W. Byers, 2 ♂, 6 ♀. Tombigbee State Park, 30 May 1982, W. Bicha, 3 ♀. Winston Co., Tombigbee National Forest, 18 May 1993, G.W. Byers, 1 ♂, 7 ♀.

New Mississippi Records. Claiborne Co., Ragsdale Creek, Regantown Road, 13 June 1995, C. Middleton, 1 ♀ (BPSC). Big Sand Creek, 12 May 1978, B. Stark, 3 ♀ (BPSC). Same site, 19 May 1978, 2 ♂ (BPSC) 3 adults (INHS), 2 ♂ (FSCA), 1 ♀ (MEMU). Same site, 5 May 1986, R. Hayman, 2 ♂, 1 ♀ (BPSC). Natchez Trace Parkway, Mile 35, 5 miles SSW Port Gibson, 4 May 1984, D.W. Webb, 8 adults (INHS). Lower Choctaw Boundary, Natchez Trace Parkway , 32˚ 08.873’ N, 90˚ 43.493’ W, 25 May 2013, B. Stark, 1 ♂, 2 ♀ (BPSC). Copiah Co., Brushy Creek, 20 May 1978, B. Stark, 3 ♀ (BPSC), 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (UM), 1 adult (INHS), 2 ♀ (FSCA), 1 ♀ (MEMU). Gallman, 7 June 1993, B. Curtis, 1 ♂ (BPSC). Kings Creek, 12 May 2013, W.E. Smith, 3 ♂, 2 ♀ (WESC). Grenada Co., T21N, R2E, Sec 12, 13 N & R3E, Sec 7S, 18N, 18 May-2 June 1992, Malaise trap in woods, G. Snodgrass, 1 ♂, 5 ♀ (MEMU). T22N, R3E, Sec 31NW, 5-18 May 1992, Malaise trap, G. Snodgrass, 1 ♂ (MEMU). Hinds Co., Clinton, 8 May 1986, B. Stark, 1 ♀ (BPSC). Big Spring Road, 32˚ 12.910’ N, 90˚ 20.688’ W, 7 May 2013, B. Stark, 1 ♂ (BPSC). Butts Park, Jackson, 32˚ 18.415’ N, 90˚ 19.173’ W, 11 May 2013, B. Stark, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (BPSC). Choctaw Trails , 32˚ 18.292’ N, 90˚ 17.868’ W, 11 May 2013, B. Stark, 2 ♂, 5 ♀ (BPSC). Jasper Co., County Road 2357, 32˚ 13.200’ N, 89˚ 16.136’ W, 13 May 2013, B. Stark, 3 ♂, 2 ♀ (BPSC). Jefferson Co., 6 miles SW Fayette, 4 May 1984, D.W. Webb, 2 adults (INHS). Lafayette Co., Oxford, 25 May 1979, S. Hurdle, 1 ♂ (UMIC). Same site, 23 June 1986, P.K. Lago, 1 ♀ (UMIC). Lauderdale Co., 32.31438˚ N, 88.55678˚ W, 20 May 2011, W. Bicha, 1 ♀ (WBIC). Lawrence Co., Robbins Lane, Jayess, 1 June 2013, W.E. Smith, 2 ♂ (WESC). Lincoln Co., Caseyville, 24 May 2014, W.E. Smith, 3 ♂, 3 ♀ (WESC). Oktibbeha Co., MSU North Farm, 10 June 1990, J. MacDonald, 1 ♀ (MEMU). Starkville, Echols Rd, nr. Bent Tree Rd, 33.38012˚ N, 88.82893˚ W, 22-23 May 2014, J.E. Hayden, R.L. Brown, MV, UV light, 1 ♂ (FSCA). Panola Co., Sardis Lake, 34˚ 25’ 35” N, 89˚ 48’ 21” W, 2 June 1997, R.L. Brown, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (MEMU). Perry Co., 4.5 miles WSW New Augusta, 24 May 1987, P.K. Lago, 1 ♀ (UMIC). Pontotoc Co., 1 mile SE Ecru, 17 July 1980, W.H. Cross, 1 ♀ (MEMU). Scott Co., Snooks Road, 32˚ 19.210’ N, 89˚ 36.182’ W, 13 May 2013, B. Stark, 3 ♂, 5 ♀ (BPSC). Forest Road 518, 32˚ 20.509’ N, 89˚ 36.182’ W, 13 May 2013, B. Stark, 4 ♂, 7 ♀ (BPSC). Simpson Co., Mill Creek, Hwy 472, 31˚ 51.824’ N, 89˚ 59.524’ W, 7 May 2013, B. Stark, 2 ♂, 2 ♀ (BPSC). Same site, 17 May 2013, 2 ♂ (BPSC). Merit Water Park, Hwy 43, 31˚ 55.641’ N, 89˚ 59.580’ W, 17 May 2013, B. Stark, 1 ♂ (BPSC). Smith Co., 1 mile N Raleigh, 14-15 June 1985, R.L. Brown, G. Burrows, 3 ♂ (MEMU). Tishomingo Co., Tishomingo State Park, 25 May 1995, P.K. Lago, 2 ♀ (UMIC). Walthall Co., Jayess, 11 June 2013, W.E. Smith, 2 ♂, 4 ♀ (WESC). Warren Co., Vicksburg, 5 June 1989, B. Mather, 1 ♂ (MEMU). Same site, 25 May 1988, B. Mather, 1 ♀ (MEMU). Same site, 1 June 1990, B. Mather, 1 ♀ (MEMU). Bovina, 16 May 1989, B. Mather, 1 ♂ (MEMU). Jeffers Hollow Road, Redwood, 32.479515 N, 90.782068 W, 22 May 2013, A. Harrison, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ (ABHC). Same site, 18 June 2013, A. Harrison, 2 ♀ (ABHC). Wayne Co., Matherville, 1 June 1993, J.A. MacGown, 1 ♂ (MEMU). Yazoo Co., Woods Road, N of Teshiva Creek, 32˚ 57.011’ N, 90˚ 14.511’ W, 27 May 2013, A. Harrison, B. Stark, 3 ♂ (ABHC).

Comments. Byers (1996) indicates, B. pilicornis is relatively common throughout its range. In central Mississippi, it emerges slightly earlier than other Bittacus (earliest records from 4 May) and is more abundant than B. punctiger with which it often co-occurs.