Soft-winged Flower Beetles

Melyridae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Cleroidea
Family: Melyridae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Melyridae: //məˈlɪrɪˌdeɪ//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Soft-winged Flower Beetle - Attalus scincetus, Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Easton, Maryland by Judy Gallagher. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Endeodes collaris 253033730 by Chloe and Trevor Van Loon. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Collops quadrimaculatus 139673773 by Owen Strickland. Used under a CC0 license.

Attalus circumscriptus P1030227a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Anthocomus-equestris-10-fws by Francisco Welter-Schultes. Used under a CC0 license.

Collops quadrimaculatus - inat 2782646 by {{{name}}}. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Summary

Melyridae, commonly known as soft-winged flower beetles, are a large family of beetles known for their soft bodies and association with flowers. They are notable for their brightly colored patterns and range of predaceous behavior between their adult and larval forms.

Physical Characteristics

Soft-bodied, elongate-oval beetles, usually 10 mm long or less. Many species are brightly patterned in black, brown, yellow, or red. Some have unique orange structures along the sides of the abdomen; adults may exhibit a fleshy lobe between the tarsal claws.

Identification Tips

Look for the prominent front coxae, antennae inserted in front of the head above the mandibles, and the presence of orange eversible sacs along the sides of the abdomen in some species.

Habitat

Adults are typically found on flowers; larvae inhabit various environments, most commonly in soil, leaf litter, or under bark.

Distribution

The family has a worldwide distribution, with over 100 genera; approximately 520 species are found in North America and 16 genera present in Europe, with the highest diversity in tropical rainforests.

Diet

Adults primarily feed on flower-visiting insects and pollen, while larvae are predators of other insects.

Ecosystem Role

Adults are beneficial insects often associated with flowers, while larvae play a role as predators in various habitats.

Health Concerns

Some species are thought to contain batrachotoxins, which are linked to the toxicity of certain birds that consume them.

Evolution

The oldest fossils of Melyridae are Sinomelyris and Juraniscus from the late Middle Jurassic. The oldest known Dasytinae member is Protodasytes from early Late Cretaceous amber in France.

Similar Taxa

Rhadalinae