Arthropods Daily – Issue No. 171

Clytra laeviuscula is a species of beetle found in Europe, the eastern part of the Palearctic realm, and the Near East. They inhabit various environments including wet forests, forest edges, dry slopes, grasslands, floodplains, and parks. These beetles have elongated bodies with red-orange elytra adorned with black spots. They can be distinguished from ladybirds by their shape and number of tarsi. Clytra laeviuscula feeds on leaves, flowers, pollen of various deciduous trees, and also forms a unique relationship with ants, using their nests to protect and feed their larvae. The adult beetle emerges after two weeks, while the larval cycle lasts about two years.