Western-palaearctic
Guides
Deleaster dichrous
Deleaster dichrous is a rove beetle (Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae) native to the Western Palaearctic, with established introduced populations in northeastern North America. Adults measure 6.5–8 mm and display distinctive coloration with dark brown head and abdomen contrasting with orange antennae, legs, and thorax. The species occupies diverse open habitats from grasslands to coastal areas and exhibits nocturnal tendencies, with adults active primarily in spring and summer.
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.
Polytribax
Polytribax is a genus of ichneumonid wasps in the subfamily Cryptinae containing approximately 15 described species. Members are parasitoids of Lepidoptera pupae, with females adapted for ground-level foraging in leaf litter and soil. The genus exhibits strong sexual dimorphism, particularly pronounced in Polytribax perspicillator. Species are distributed across the Western Palaearctic with records extending to the Oriental and Nearctic realms.
Scraptia
false flower beetles
Scraptia is a genus of false flower beetles in the family Scraptiidae, comprising more than 20 described species. The genus was established by Latreille in 1806 and is distributed primarily in the western Palaearctic region, with records from Scandinavia, Turkey, and Greece. Recent taxonomic work has clarified nomenclatural issues, including synonymies and lectotype designations for several species. The genus is part of the superfamily Tenebrionoidea within the suborder Polyphaga.
Zimmermannia
Zimmermannia is a genus of minute moths in the family Nepticulidae, established by Hering in 1940. The genus is distributed in the Western Palaearctic region and contains nine recognized species. Species are characterized by leaf-mining and bark-mining larval habits. The genus was historically treated as a subgenus of Ectoedemia but is now recognized as distinct.