Prosternon tessellatum

Prosternon tessellatum, the chequered click beetle, is a species of click beetle belonging to the family Elateridae.

Distribution

This species is widespread in Europe, in Asia, and in the Nearctic realm.

Habitat

These beetles inhabit mountain areas, coniferous forests, dry forest edges and forest meadows, but also heathland, moors, dunes and gardens.

Description

Prosternon tessellatum can reach a body length of approximately. These beetles have a hairiness blackish-brown pronotum and striped elytra, with paler silk-hairy gray-yellow to gold-shining stains.
They are rather similar to Agrypnus murinus, that is smaller.

Biology

Adults can be found from May to early August, feeding on flowers, shrubs and low vegetation.
Larvae of this species live in tree stumps of conifers and in humus. They are predators and destroy cocoons of pine-tree lappet and pine sawfly.