Trichodes apiarius

Trichodes apiarius is a beetle species of checkered beetles belonging to the family Cleridae, subfamily Clerinae.

Trichodes apiarius
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Infraorder:	Cucujiformia
Family:	Cleridae
Genus:	Trichodes
Species:	T. apiarius
Binomial name
Trichodes apiarius (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
Trichodes angusticollis Pic, 1902 Trichodes apicita Spinola, 1844 Trichodes apivore Walckenaer, 1802 Trichodes corallinus Ménétriés, 1832 Trichodes crassipedarius Chevrolat, 1876 Trichodes elegans Spinola, 1844 Trichodes georgianus Chevrolat, 1874 Trichodes pannonicus Spinola, 1844 Trichodes suturalis Trella, 1924 Trichodes suturifer Corporaal, 1932

These beetles are found in most of Europe, in the eastern Palearctic realm, and in North Africa.[1]

It is a hairy, small beetle with shining blue or black head and scutellum. The elongated elytra show a bright red colour with black bands. This species can easily be distinguished from Trichodes alvearius for the black terminal band reaching the apex of elytra.

At the larval stage, these beetles are parasites of bees (hence the name “apiarius”), as the adults lay the eggs in the nests of solitary bees (Osmia and Megachile species) or in hives of honey bees, eating larvae and nymphs of their victims.

The adults grow up to 9–16 millimetres (0.35–0.63 in) and can be encountered from May through June on the flowers, mainly Apiaceae, feeding on the pollen. However, they integrate their diet with small insects that they actively hunt.