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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Tenebrionoidea » Wedge-shaped Beetles (Ripiphoridae) » Ripiphorinae » Ripiphorus » Ripiphorus rex
Photo#1062774
Appears to be a bee mimic - Ripiphorus rex - female
Copyright © 2015 James Martin

Appears to be a bee mimic - Ripiphorus rex - Female
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
May 3, 2015
Size: 8-10mm
Observed nestled into the flower shown and did not let go when I put him into a petri dish to photograph.

Images of this individual: tag all
Appears to be a bee mimic - Ripiphorus rex - female Appears to be a bee mimic - Ripiphorus rex - female
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Contributed by James Martin on 4 May, 2015 - 7:29am
Last updated 9 April, 2017 - 11:55am

Interesting find, James...and on a mustard!
This is a female...as can be ascertained by the form of the antennae, see remarks under post below:

 

Females seem to like to oviposit on congested flower heads (see remarks here), and most commonly on members of the sunflower family (Asteraceae). Your post is the first I've seen of a female ovipositing on a mustard (Brassicaceae). The female in my post was also found clinging tightly to a flower head, on which she had been ovipositing.
… Aaron Schusteff, 9 April, 2017 - 11:54am login or register to post comments

I found what i believe to be
I found what i believe to be this same species in orem, utah. When i picked it up, it made an angry buzzing sound while flexing it's abdoman towards my fingers. I immediately doubted my identification and dropped it, despite having seen what i thought were wing covers. This is definately a true bee mimic.
… Jonathan W. Quist, 21 May, 2015 - 3:25pm login or register to post comments

 
Sting-mimicking behavior
Yes, it's quite amazing that...beyond the impressive color, patterning, and morphological aspects of their bee mimickry (including shrunken elytra that look like hymenopteran tegula; and a bent forward ovipositor that mimics a sting)...Ripiphorus have also evolved a very effective mimickry for the stinging behavior of their feared-and-respected models! This is a female, but I wouldn't be surprised if the males behave similarly.

For more info on these fascinating beetles(!), see the comments under each image in my post thumbnailed below:

 
… Aaron Schusteff, 9 April, 2017 - 11:29am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John S. Ascher, 4 May, 2015 - 8:23am login or register to post comments

Ripiphorus
Appears to be R. rex
… John S. Ascher, 4 May, 2015 - 8:21am login or register to post comments

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