ABSTRACT
The burrowing habits of nearly all the Cydnidae hide most of their activities from human eyes. All North American species of this family are active above ground for part of their adult life and then, with the possible exception of the brachyp-terous species Tominotus caecus, will come freely to lights. Some species show a strong positive reaction to certain chemicals; for instance Pangaeus bilineatus came frequently to traps baited with gerinol. The soil-burrowing habit made these insects well suited for dispersal in the old sailing ships which often used soil ballast in their holds. To make space for legitimate cargoes, the soil ballast was unloaded by dumping on the countryside surrounding the port rather than into the water and blocking the channels. All North American species of this family are active above ground for part of their adult life and then, with the possible exception of the brachyp-terous species Tominotus caecus, will come freely to lights.
