Explanation of Names
PYROCHROIDAE: from the Greek "pyros" (a fire) + "chroma" (a color) - origin of the common name and a reference to the bright red or orangish color in some species
Numbers
nearctica.com lists 56 species in 8 genera in North America
Size
adult 6-19 mm; larva to 25 mm
Identification
Adult: medium-sized, often black with some red ("fire color"). Elytra wider at rear. Elytra wider than pronotum. Head has a distinct neck. Antennae of males often
pectinate to
flabellate.
Larva: long (to 25 mm or 1") yellow body, reddish-brown at both ends; abdomen seemingly 9-segmented, the first 7 segments lobate and wider than long, the 8th segment longer than wide, the 9th segment bearing two urogomphi (claw-like "spines"); 2 long hairs project laterally from each abdominal segment; body surface covered with small bumps or "warts".
Habitat
Often found around decaying wood.
Food
Larvae feed on decaying wood (often under bark) and fungi.
larvae are typically predators living under bark (
Texas A&M U.)
Remarks
Adults are active at night, and may be attracted to lights. Some species may be attracted to fermenting baits.
Male pyrochroid beetles seek out blister beetles, climb onto them and lick off the cantharidin the blister beetles exude. Not only have these beetles developed a resistance to the cantharidin, they use the blistering agent to impress a female of their own species who then mates with them, whereupon most of the cantharidin is transfered to the female in the form of a sperm packet. The eggs the female subsequently lays are coated with cantharidin to protect them from being eaten before they hatch.
… Jim McClarin, 26 March, 2006 - 4:00pm
See Also
larvae of Cucujidae have shorter terminal appendages and their 8th abdominal segment is not longer than wide
Internet References
images of adults and larva plus other info (William Godwin, Texas A&M U.)
live larvae image of the palearctic species
Pyrochroa coccinea (Fred Kohler, Germany)
live larva image of the palearctic genus
Pyrochroa (Malcolm Storey, UK)
