Net-winged beetles

Definition

A family of beetles (Coleoptera: Lycidae) characterized by soft, flexible elytra with raised, net-like venation that forms a distinctive reticulate pattern. Adults are typically aposematically colored in orange, red, or yellow with black markings, advertising their chemical defenses derived from sequestered compounds. The larvae are flattened, grub-like, and inhabit decaying wood or leaf litter where they prey on small invertebrates or feed on fungal hyphae. The family is cosmopolitan, with species distributed across all major biogeographic regions.

Etymology

From the distinctive reticulate, net-like venation of the elytra.

Example

The banded net-winged beetle (Calopteron reticulatum) displays the family's characteristic orange-and-black aposematic coloration and net-veined elytra, warning predators of its unpalatability.

Synonyms

• Lycidae

Related Terms

• Elytra
• aposematic coloration
• Coleoptera
• reticulate
• chemical defense
• mimicry

Usage Notes

Refers specifically to the family Lycidae, not to other beetles with somewhat similar wing venation. The common name is widely used in field guides and popular entomology, though specialists often use the family name Lycidae. Net-winged beetles are frequently involved in Müllerian mimicry rings with other chemically defended insects such as fireflies (Lampyridae) and soldier beetles (Cantharidae).