| Prosternon tessellatum | |
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| Species: | P. tessellatum |
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| Prosternon tessellatum | |
Prosternon tessellatum, the chequered click beetle, is a species of click beetle belonging to the family Elateridae.
This species is widespread in Europe, in Asia, and in the Nearctic realm. [2] [3]
These beetles inhabit mountain areas, coniferous forests, dry forest edges and forest meadows, but also heathland, moors, dunes and gardens.
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.
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 ).
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