Around the World

This small family contains about 150 species included in 32 genera and 5 subfamilies although the limits are by no means certain and the subfamilies Pedilinae with about 50 species, and Agnathinae, with both Palaearctic and Nearctic species, are sometimes considered to be separate families or included within the Anthicidae. Eight species in 3 genera occur in Europe of which 3 extend to the U.K.  Adults typically inhabit deciduous woodland margins and parkland etc. where they may be found on flowers, nettles, logs and trunks etc. They are often seen basking on leaves or timber. In the Nearctic region, which hosts 50 species in 7 genera, light trapping, flight interception trapping and even pitfall trapping are productive methods of sampling adults. They are sometimes quoted as feeding on other insects, and this may be the case, but many species are known to feed on plant sap, honeydew and pollen. Adults of Neopyrochroa Blair, 1914 and Schizotus Newman, 1838 are cantharidiphilous, seeking Meloids to consume their cantharidin. Male Schizotus pectinicornis (Linnaeus, 1758) acquire dietary cantharidin in an unknown way and transfer it to the female during copulation, the female then transfer it to the eggshells. The American species Neopyrochroa flabellata (Fabricius, 1787) uses cantharidin during courtship, with the male acquiring dietary cantharidin and advertising this fact to the female during courtship displays. A frontal interocular cleft is used to display the chemical which, via secretions from a cephalic gland, is laced with previously ingested cantharidin. Females are able to gauge male quality by sampling from this cleft and, if they deem the male suitable, receive a large supply of cantharidin as part of his spermatophore. If they accept the mate they distribute the chemical to their eggs which then become significantly protected from attack. Our three large and impressive U.K. species are hardly representative of the family as a whole, the colouration of many species is a combination of red and black but many are dark overall while many have dark elytra with pale macula. The larvae of most species develop among frass under the bark of dead or damaged deciduous wood, often appearing in numbers which represent all stages of development. They are reportedly predatory, feeding on other saproxylic insects and their larvae, but the majority of species are primarily fungivores. Our three large and impressive U.K. species are hardly representative of the family as a whole, the colouration of many species is a combination of red and black but many are dark overall while many have dark elytra with pale macula.