Black Oil Beetle
Meloe proscarabaeus
Blister beetles
(Meloidae)
♀
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RikenMon
Large black beetle, with remarkably short wing shields and long round back. The head, neck shield and cover plates are dented. ♀ is much larger than ♂, especially when she is about to lay eggs. The probes of the ♂ have a kink halfway, those of the ♀ are straight. Nourishes on plants. An oily substance is released in the event of a disruption. ⇔ l. ♂ 10-12 mm, ♀ 30-35 mm The oil beetle puts a lot of eggs on the ground. The larvae hitch with a bee to its nest to eat eggs and nectar there until it pupates, at which time it leaves the bee's nest. LA: ≈ The MELOE VIOLACEUS (Violet oil beetle) is more blue-violet coloured than black and has a shinier shield with much smaller pits. ≈ The MELOE BREVICOLLIS (Short necked oil beetle) has a rounder neck shield, 3 round spots on the back and the pits in its neck and cover shield are less deep. See photo LA.
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Size
Shape
Colour
Leg
Back
Feeler
Wing
10-50 mm
Beetle
Six
Shielded
Visible
Shielded
2 LookAlikes (LA):
Violet oil beetle
Red-striped oil beetle
Black Oil Beetle
Oliekever
Schwarzblauer Ölkäfer
Méloé printanier
Meloe
Carraleja azul
Meloe proscarabaeus [L.]
Майка обыкновенная
Meloe proscarabaeus [L.]
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