Nearly 500 species of Passalidae have been described, mainly in the new world tropics (Arnett et al. 2002). The family Passalidae, commonly known as bess bugs or patent leather beetles, is a member of the superfamily Scarabaeoidae, and has only a few occurring species within the United States (Schuster 1983). The horned passalus or betsy beetle, Odontotaenius disjunctus (Illiger), is a widely distributed, easily recognizable beetle and is the most commonly encountered beetle of Passalidae in the United States, due to its relative monopoly in the North American geography. Previously, Passalus punctiger (Lepeletier) and Passalus punctatostriatus (Percheron) have been reported as exotic species in the United States, but recent records do not indicate a current population of either species (Schuster 1983). Species within the family Passalidae, including the horned passalus, are beneficial decomposers of wood. The horned passalus only decomposes decaying wood or logs, and it is not a pest of urban structures.