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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Bostrichoidea » Death-watch and Spider Beetles (Ptinidae) » Xyletininae » Xyletinini » Vrilletta » Vrilletta murrayi
Photo#507210
Mystery beetle - Vrilletta murrayi
Copyright © 2011 R. Berg

Mystery beetle - Vrilletta murrayi
Alameda County, California, USA
April 19, 2011
Would this be the female counterpart of ? Found on yard-waste bin within a few feet of the previous beetle's location; moved to carrot patch for photography. Similar in having a light spot on each elytron (in the same place) and a habit of tucking its head down. However, today's beetle had a much lighter background color. Its antennae were narrower and simpler than the previous one's. It escaped after a few dorsal shots.

Where do these guys pupate? If it's in wood, they may be coming from the firewood next to the garage, like all those Esperia moths.
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Contributed by R. Berg on 19 April, 2011 - 9:57pm
Last updated 6 May, 2014 - 4:58am

I have keyed all Vrillettas here
. . . and according to key, these are two species.
… Boris Büche, 6 May, 2014 - 5:00am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Vrilletta.
… Boris Büche, 6 May, 2014 - 4:58am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Xyletinini.
… v belov, 21 April, 2011 - 9:23am login or register to post comments

you're absolutely right, prob. the same sp.
good guess about them coming from the firewood: they pupate in the larval substrate (more elongate xyletinines develop in dead wood, yet the are smaller ones who live in herbaceous stems, and some stockier/flatter forms, in dry dung -- not sure though if the latter group is represented in NA)

Moved from Beetles.
… v belov, 19 April, 2011 - 10:06pm login or register to post comments

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