A Survey of Darkling Beetles in Desert Steppe Vegetation after a Decade

Abstract

A survey of darkling beetles inhabiting big sagebrush and greasewood communities was conducted in 1963 and again in 1973. Two species, Philolithus densicollis and Stenomorpha puncticollis, dominated the catch during both study periods. This comparison showed that the abundance of both Philolithus and Stenomorpha has declined drastically during the last decade. Philolithus now clearly dominates the sagebrush community while Stenomorpha dominates the greasewood community.