Fire-Colored Beetles (Pyrochroidae) - 36 Species, Identification & Facts

Dendroides canadensis

Identification: female / male larva: urogomphi (tail spines) relatively planar, not recurved: Adults active at night. Perhaps the most abundant species of the genus.

Neopyrochroa femoralis

Identification: all legs bicolored (orange femora, and black beyond the femora)

Neopyrochroa flabellata

Identification: all legs unicolored orange adults primarily nocturnal found under bark, on vegetation in daytime

Pedilus abnormis

Identification: The visible diagnostic feature is the slight "bow" and twist of the metathoracic tibiae. There are also no obvious modifications of the elytral apices (unlike males of most NA Pedilus spp.).

Pedilus joanae, manuscript name

Pedilus joanae

Identification: Male: elytral apex slightly excavate, somewhat swollen above, and with yellow macula in this place. Elytra black, to yellowish (terminal margin excepted); females lack the diagostic macula.

Pedilus lugubris

Identification: There can be considerable variation in pronotal color and in some cases can be confused with Pedilus labiatus .

Pedilus terminalis

Identification: Det. A.V. Evans, 2010 adults attracted by cantharidin

Black-headed Cardinal Beetle

Pyrochroa coccinea

Length 14 to 20 mm. Pronotum and elytra quite smooth and bright red or scarlet, otherwise rather shiny black and with a black head. Records must be supported by good photograph(s). They are diurnal and lead an exposed and conspicuous lifestyle on her

Cardinal Beetle

Pyrochroa serraticornis

One of several Cardinal Beetles, this species has a red head to distinguish it from P. coccinea which has a black head. On flowers, trunks and stumps where it hunts other insects. Widespread and fairly frequent in England and Wales.