Glischrochilus hortensis · daržinis žvilgvabalis «Glischrochilus hortensis · daržinis žvilgvabalis^Thumbnails»Glischrochilus hortensis · daržinis žvilgvabalis«Glischrochilus hortensis · daržinis žvilgvabalis^Thumbnails»Glischrochilus hortensis · daržinis žvilgvabalis

Glischrochilus hortensis · daržinis žvilgvabalis

  • Librodor hortensis
  • Gartenglanzkäfer
  • Kuperamäihiäinen
  • daržinis žvilgvabalis
  • urazek leśny

Glischrochilus hortensis is saproxylic, living beneath dead or damaged bark on a range of deciduous and coniferous trees, both as larvae and adults, where they are facultative and obligate predators of other insects and their larvae. They fly strongly, are quick to colonize new areas, and may quickly appear in large numbers as they are attracted to pheromones used by bark beetles. Adults also feed on exuding sap from injured trees, decaying vegetation and fungi but they are strongly attracted to fermenting products of all kinds e.g. alcoholic products, vinegar and fruit juices which has earned them the common names of picnic beetles or beer bugs.

In general the eggs are elongate and white and laid among suitable decaying plant material or under bark etc. in the spring. Larvae develop rapidly, usually taking about a month from hatching to pupation. New generation adults appear in the spring and there is a single generation each year.

Most of the text below is from now defunct site www.ukbeetles.co.uk, where it was published under a CC BY 4.0 License.

This widespread European and Asian species occurs sporadically throughout the U.K. It is relatively common in the English midlands but local elsewhere and apparently absent from the West Country. The typical habitat is woodland where the beetles feed on sap, ripe fruit and decaying fungi but they may occur in many situations including urban gardens where they may inhabit compost heaps etc. and we have found them in numbers among excavated and decaying water-lily roots beside a gravel-pit in St. Albans, South Herts. Beyond this they are strongly attracted to fermenting vegetable matter and so may occur in just about any situation. Adults are present year round but are mostly active from April to October when they may be surveyed using molasses baited traps. They are active nocturnally and may be found during the day among their food source, when found they are usually present in numbers. On the continent they are surveyed in broadleaved and coniferous woodland using aerial traps baited with beer.

4.0-6.0 mm. Black and shiny with the tarsi and at least the middle antennal segments red. Upper surface entirely finely and quite closely punctured. Head relatively large, more especially so in the male. Eyes weakly convex and protuberant. Antennal grooves distinct in side view. Clypeus variable; weakly to strongly emarginate anteriorly. Mandibles robust and asymmetric at apex. Pronotum transverse and convex, lateral margins distinctly bordered and weakly explanate. Anterior margin not bordered, front angles produced forward. Basal margin sinuate and bordered. Scutellum transverse, black with the apex pale, and punctured along the base. Humeral angle of elytra toothed. Lateral margins of the elytra explanate almost to the apex, apices separately rounded. Surface randomly and finely punctured and with traces of striae, a sutural stria is well impressed towards the apex. Apical margins rounded leaving most of the pygidium exposed. All tibiae sinuate and broadly expanded toward the apex and with a strong spine on the inner apical angle; mid and hind tibiae with rows of fine spines externally. Basal tarsal segments dilated, more so in the male, the fourth segment tiny but distinct, the fifth long and expanded towards the apex. Claws smooth and not toothed at the base.

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