Species Palporus nitidulus

Tachyporus nitidulus (Fabricius 1781)

2.4‒3 mm (1.1‒1.4 mm from apex of head to apex of elytra)(1)

Extremely variable. Very small (head to elytra length 1.1 to 1.4 mm). Light yellowish to dark reddish-brown, sometimes darker. Head often darker than pronotum and elytra. Elytra usually lighter than pronotum and head. Pubescence of elytra and abdomen fine and dense. Pronotum glabrous, shiny. Apical segment of maxillary palps not longer than width of preceding segment. May have fully developed wings or reduced nonfunctional wings.(1)

Native to, and occurs throughout, the Palaearctic; long established in our area, occurs over much of North America (our most abundant Tachyporus)(1)(2)(3)

State/Province Records:(1)(4)

Known habitats include under rotting materials (such as stacks of hay/straw, compost, mushrooms, leaf litter, and moss) and often swept from flowers and bushes. Favors moist habitats, common in river debris, leaf litter, clumps of grass/moss, debris from rotting logs/stumps, beaver lodges and other mammal nests(1)

Adults year-round, most commonly late summer and early fall(1)

Generalist predator(1)

first detected in NA: IN 1834(2)