Bee Beetle
Trichius fasciatus
45.0751, 13.6483
Field Notes
Description:
These beetles are about 10 millimeters long and can be encountered from May through July feeding on petals of a variety of flowers (Thymus, Rosa- like on my photos, etc.). Head and pronotum are black, while the elytra are yellowish, crossed by a few black bands. The first black band reaches the scutellum. The sides of the chest and the back of the abdomen are covered with a white pubescence, hence the popular name "bee beetle" for Trichius species.
Habitat:
This beetle is present in most of Europe and in the East Palearctic ecozone.
Notes:
The most reliable criteria to distinguish it from the similar species is based on a sharp tooth located at two third of the tibia on the middle legs of Trichius fasciatus. Trichius zonatus only shows a small rounded bump at the same location.
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