Tumbling-flower-beetles
Guides
Mordellina
tumbling flower beetles
Mordellina is a genus of tumbling flower beetles in the family Mordellidae, comprising more than 30 described species. These beetles are characterized by their ability to tumble or jump when disturbed, a trait common to the family. At least one species, Mordellina ancilla, has been documented as a stem-borer in herbaceous plants. The genus occurs across North America and potentially other regions, though species-level distributions vary.
Mordellistena
tumbling flower beetles
A large genus of tumbling flower beetles comprising over 450 described species distributed worldwide. Adults are commonly found on flowers where they feed on pollen and nectar. Larvae develop within stems of herbaceous plants or in decaying wood, with some species exhibiting specialized host associations including agricultural pests of sunflower. The genus has been subject to extensive taxonomic revision due to morphological similarity among species and the importance of male genitalia for identification.
Mordellistena attenuata
Mordellistena attenuata is a species of tumbling flower beetle in the family Mordellidae. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1826 (though some sources cite 1824). It belongs to a large genus of small beetles commonly associated with flowers and decaying plant material. Like other members of Mordellidae, it possesses the family's characteristic wedge-shaped body form and enlarged hind legs that enable a distinctive tumbling escape behavior when disturbed.
Mordellistena vera
A species of tumbling flower beetle in the family Mordellidae, described from North America in 1917. Members of this genus are characterized by their distinctive wedge-shaped bodies and ability to 'tumble' when disturbed.
Mordellochroa
Mordellochroa is a genus of tumbling flower beetles in the family Mordellidae, containing approximately eight described species distributed across Europe, North America, temperate Asia, and Australia. Species within this genus are saproxylic, with larval development occurring in dead wood. The genus includes both widespread and regionally restricted species, with some demonstrating specific habitat requirements such as preserved natural forests with large amounts of coarse woody debris.
Tolidomordella
Tolidomordella is a genus of tumbling flower beetles established by Ermisch in 1950. The genus contains at least two described species: Tolidomordella discoidea, distributed in North America with two recognized subspecies, and Tolidomordella sexguttata, found in the Caribbean. Members of this genus belong to the family Mordellidae, a group characterized by their ability to execute backward tumbling jumps when disturbed.