Meloe proscarabaeus

Blue Black oil beetle ( Meloe proscarabaeus )

The Blue Black oil beetle ( Meloe proscarabaeus ), also known as Black Maiwurm known, is a beetle of the family of blister beetles ( Meloidae ).

Features

The beetles are 11 to 35 millimeters long. The chitin armor shines over the whole body black blue, this is built oblong, still not slim, but rather thick. The head and pronotum are coarsely punctured and shining in the spaces between the points. The finely granulated elytra are very short and come apart at the ends, so that a large part of the abdomen is clearly visible. Both the legs and the thread-like antennae are built quite long and strong. The antennae of the males are bent in the middle.

Dissemination

The beetles come in Europe, east to central Asia before. They live on sandy and vacancies. The beetles are regionally in Central Europe quite often. Overall, the inventory decreases, however, as the habitat of the beetle, especially meadows, is increasingly being changed. That's why the Black Blue Oil beetles are listed as endangered ( 3) in Germany in the Red List of Threatened Species. They will take place from April to June.

Way of life

The diurnal animals live on usually on the ground. They feed on plant parts. In case of danger but to deter enemies from their knee joints a yellow defensive secretions that contains the toxin cantharidin. After mating, the females lay several thousand eggs on the ground. The larvae climb on flowers and then cling to the legs of solitary bees. The bee takes the larva involuntarily in their construction, but, where the latter preying on the larvae of bees and their food reserves. After several molts, they pupate. From the doll slips of finished beetle. In hives of honey bees perish the beetle larvae.