Blethisa quadricollis Haldeman 1847
Geographic: NEA
Distribution: Native, New World. Canada – AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, NT, ON, PE,
PQ, SK, YT; USA – AK, IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, MN, MT, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, WI.
Common name: Square-necked Marsh and Bog beetle
Synonyms: Blethisa quadricollis Haldeman, 1847:149
Blethisa americana T.W. Harris, 1869:211
Macrohabitat: Lowlands, 6 – 331 meters altitude in wet places, such as sphagnum
bogs. Microhabitat: Adults are ground-dwelling in acidic bogs, and at margins of Typha
sp. marshes and swamps, especially in pillows of Sphagnum sp. which are covered with Oxycoccus
sp. at the borders of cold water pools, often where Myrica sp. grows and the substrate is rich in
organic debris. Dispersal abilities: Macropterous, capable of flight; swift runners, excellent
swimmers and divers. Seasonal occurrence: Adults have been found in April – September;
In copula - mid-July; gravid females in mid-June to early July; teneral adults in mid-July to late
August. Behavior: Adults are mostly diurnal, predaceous, and are active in the sunshine; they
take cover on cloudy or cool days in moss, or under dead prostrate vegetation. When alarmed,
the adult may stridulate, escape by diving into the water (may remain submerged for 3 minutes),
or emit a marked repugnant odor. Adults are attracted to lights, often are found in wind
drift; they also hibernate.