Order Coleoptera Higher classification Meloe | Family Meloidae Scientific name Meloe proscarabaeus Rank Species | |
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Similar Meloe, Beetle, Blister beetle, Insect, Meloe violaceus | ||
Black oil beetle meloe proscarabaeus courtship 5 march 2012 devon england
Meloe proscarabaeus is a European oil beetle. It lives in meadows, field margins and other warm sites in all but the far north of the continent. It lacks hind wings and the elytra are correspondingly reduced in size.
Contents
- Black oil beetle meloe proscarabaeus courtship 5 march 2012 devon england
- Black oil beetle meloe proscarabaeus otterton point 23 april 2016
- Life cycle
- References
Black oil beetle meloe proscarabaeus otterton point 23 april 2016
Life cycle
Eggs are laid in the soil by females. When the larvae hatch, they climb into a flower, and await visiting solitary bees. With their well-developed claws, the larvae attach themselves to the bee and return with it to its nest. Here, they feed on the bee's eggs and the pollen and nectar it had collected. The larva pupates in the bee's nest, and leaves the nest to seek a mate directly afterwards.
References
Meloe proscarabaeus Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA