Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Showing posts with label red and black beetle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label red and black beetle. Show all posts

Friday 5 August 2016

RED AND BLACK SOLDIER BEETLE (Trichodes creticus) feeding on COMMON BRIGHTEYES (Reichardia picroides subspecies R. p. galatsida) Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece


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Click here for detailed species information
The Red and Black Soldier Beetle (Trichodes creticus) is a species of soldier beetle or checkered beetle of the family Cleridae which is in the genus Trichodes. It is endemic to the Greek island of Crete. It relies on its warning coloration to deter predators. The larvae are parasites of bees and wasps. On Crete, there are a number of very similar beetles but the dark line along the inner edges of the elytra that join the black patches on the back readily identifies this species. The adults prey on small invertebrates and are also commonly found feeding on the pollen of a variety of flowers, including Common Brighteyes (Reichardia picroides subspecies R. p. galatsida), from April to August.

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com