| Prosternon tessellatum | |
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| Species: | P. tessellatum
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| Binomial name | |
| Prosternon tessellatum | |
Prosternon tessellatum, the chequered click beetle, is a species of click beetle belonging to the family Elateridae.
Distribution[edit]
This species is widespread in Europe, in Asia, and in the Nearctic realm.[2][3]
Habitat[edit]
These beetles inhabit mountain areas, coniferous forests, dry forest edges and forest meadows, but also heathland, moors, dunes and gardens.
Description[edit]
Prosternon tessellatum can reach a body length of approximately 10–12 millimetres (0.39–0.47 in). These beetles have a hairiness blackish-brown pronotum and striped elytra, with paler silk-hairy gray-yellow to gold-shining stains.
They are rather similar to Agrypnus murinus, that is smaller.
Biology[edit]
Adults can be found from May to early August, feeding on flowers, shrubs and low vegetation.[4]
Larvae of this species live in tree stumps of conifers and in humus. They are predators and destroy cocoons of pine-tree lappet (Dendrolimus pini) and pine sawfly (Neodiprion).
References[edit]
- ^ Linnaeus C. (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio Decima, Reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm
- ^ Fauna Europaea
- ^ Norman H. Joy, , 1932 A Practical Handbook of British Beetles
- ^ Inaturalist