Hornet beetle
| Hornet beetle | ||||||||||||
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Hornet beetle |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Velleius dilatatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Fabricius , 1787) |
The hornet beetle or hornet moth beetle ( Velleius dilatatus ) is a beetle from the family of the rophylinidae .
The beetle, up to 26 millimeters long, lives in all stages of development in the rubbish heaps under hornet nests . It feeds on the leftover food of the hornets, but also on dead hornets and fly larvae that develop in the waste. Occasionally falling hornet larvae are also eaten. He is thus a commensal (roommate) with hornets. He is not tolerated in the nest itself.
The beetles have an excellent sense of smell. This was shown in a hornet den that was relocated for exhibition purposes and was largely isolated and regularly cleared of its relatively minor waste. Nevertheless, hornet beetles settled in after just two weeks. They are shy and immediately hide in light and other disturbances. Their number depends on the size of the waste heap and is on average in the order of ten. There is occasional rivalry.
Hornet beetles are dependent on hornets in a way that is not yet understood. They leave piles of rubbish of other origin or even die there, even if numerous maggots are still present. However, this only applies to Europe. In Asia, the beetle lives as a co-inhabitant of other wasp species, even if hornets live in the respective habitat.
Synonyms
- Staphylinus concolor Marsham, 1802
- Staphylinus serraticornis cupboard, 1798
credentials
- ↑ a b Velleius dilatatus (Fabricius 1787). Fauna Europaea, accessed December 19, 2016 .
